The Testament of True Warriors
by Roxu
Summary: The Third Shinobi World War. The period of time where Namikaze Minato made his statement toward the Elemental Nations, gaining the nickname: Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō. Where a civil war split Amegakure and ultimately resulted in the complete and utter annihilation of Hanzō's faction. Where Uzumaki Kenshin finally awoke under the Confinement Seal in the Uzushiogakrue no Sato ruins.
1. Uzushio will Prevail

** The Testament of True Warriors – **_Uzushio will Prevail_

* * *

**Uzu no Kuni - Uzushiogakure no Sato – Whirlpool Ruins – 0530 Hours**

The rasps for air were clearly agitated and weak, the source of noise broken and sounded as if it was from years of misuse. A fragmented, mutilated slab of rock was abruptly pushed up and away from a person. Uzumaki Kenshin attempted once to shift himself to his knees, but a series of hacking coughs erupted through his chest and he suddenly thought otherwise. His body felt thoroughly sore and pained, as if he hadn't moved in . . . well, an extensive amount of time.

Kenshin tipped his head back against the ground and could only gaze hazily up at the blue sky, where a few birds glided by aimlessly. _Damn_, he reached a hand up to touch his head, _I feel like a Kunai was stabbed into my head_. Kenshin swallowed and grimaced at his dry throat.

And then the memories came rushing back.

* * *

**_Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato – Umibe Apartments; Second Floor – 0230 Hours_**

_"Masami! Get up _right_ now!" Kenshin resisted the urge to throw her over his shoulder and bolt for the Entry Gate, but he calmly reserved his nerves. He knew he couldn't do that. Masami needed to leave Uzu no Kuni this second or there wouldn't be enough time. _

_ "Ken-Kun?" Masami rolled over on the disheveled bed, his shirt that she wore to bed wrinkled and very large on her. She managed to pull herself into a sitting position and rubbed her eyes blearily. "What's going on? What time is it?" She blinked over at their clock: 2:47 A.M. _

_ Kenshin was busy grabbing a pair of his short Shinobi pants and a regular long-sleeve shirt to endure the chilly fall air. They were all dark colors. He needed her unseen and stealth to his enemies, and well, he knew Masami was no Shinobi. She had no training and would definitely make many unnecessary noises, but he was sure she could make it with his assistance – they did not live too far from the Entry Gate. "Masami! Now, put these on!" He threw the clothes at her heedlessly and reached underneath their bed, grabbing a paper tag that he used for threatening emergencies. _

_ "Ken – tell me what's going on –"_

_ "Not now, Masami! Dress!" He barked. Kenshin clenched his jaw tight and grabbed a kunai from his pouch, swiftly cutting a deep incision into his forearm. He heard Masami make a small protesting noise at his proceeding movements, obviously upset by him injuring himself. Kenshin finally clutched a worn brush from his hip pouch. _

_ Kenshin studied the blank tag before him. In the experienced twenty-five years of his life, he knew what exactly to draw on this. The tag was easily C-Rank by using a simple Security Tag. But, that was the humorous concept about being an Fūinjutsu Master; it's that the most ordinary, effortless Fūinjutsu Seal to him was like an S-Rank technique to others. For instance, he could count how many people that could use a Security Seals with his fingers. Kenshin dipped the base of the brush into the blood dripping from his forearm and began drawing against the tag with the foremost of elegant calligraphy. He knew how significant it was to never make a single mistake when drawing a seal, because it was as if the whole thing could reverse and slam the property of the technique right back at you – which was not fun, at all._

_ He glanced up sharply when a nearby explosion rocked the right side of their apartment building, their bedroom windows cracking against the heat of the discharge. Masami flinched and yelped at the screeching noise, her pale green eyes widening as she clumsily walked over and gently pulled back the curtain to peek outside. "Masami! Get away from it!" He grasped her wrist and jerked her over to the front door. _

_ Her face was now carefully blank, a frown marring on her delicate face. ". . . What's happening, Kenshin?" The sobriety of her tone had him frustrated head to toe, but he could not deny her question when she used his full name._

_ "Iwa," he stated quietly. "Iwa." _

_ Unshed tears gathered in her eyes as she recognized the Security Seal that he was presently pressing on her forehead. "You – Kenshin . . . I'm leaving, aren't I?" _

_ It was a simple and obvious inquiry on her part, but her subdued tone had him mentally reeling back. "I'm not coming with you," he said slowly, bringing his right hand up into a single tiger seal. "Sekyuritishīru: Akutibēto (Security Seal: Activate)." He watched with a detached expression as the runes on the paper glowed briefly before the words and tag itself seemed to sink into her skin and become invisible to the naked eye. _

_ "K-Ken – You can't stay here!" Masami was panicking with fear as she grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him down to her shorter height. "It's too dangerous!"_

_ "Masami," Kenshin peeled her fingers away from his shirt. "Thus is the life of every Shinobi, you understood that the day we both said 'I do'. I must protect my village." _

_ The tears she had been stalling finally broke free and rushed down her pale cheeks. "Y-Y-You c-can't l-leave m-m-me!" _

_ Another explosion rocked the apartment and Kenshin cursed, swallowing deeply as he grabbed Masami's face into his hands and gave her a departing, deep kiss that very well may have been his last. He was no fool, he knew the chances of surviving were slim and even though he knew how much he wanted to leave with Masami, he knew his loyalties and devotions. Furthermore, if he knew he could guarantee his wife's safety, then that would be his last wish. _

_ Kenshin released her and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. "Listen to me carefully. The Security Seal will provide you strength and silence from the enemies, I am going to be killing off anyone I deem a threat until we near the Entry Gate. When you see it, I want you to run, Masami," he forced her chin up so that her eyes were on steel dark blue eyes, "I want you to run."_

_ She shook her head. "N-No – I-I can't . . ."_

_ "Yes, you can."_

_ "Please, Kenshin, don't make me leave y-you here."_

_ Kenshin grabbed the knob of their front door and twisted once, looking back at her anguished face. "Sometimes people are forced to make burdensome choices, but in the end, you will be happy. Because you know it may have been difficult, but it was the right thing to do." Without another word, Kenshin handed her a single, sharp Kunai and yanked open the door, revealing air that was potent with charcoal smoke and rancid with blood. _

_ He shunshined right in time to cross blades with an Iwa-nin, who hatefully sneered with blood splatters on his face. Kenshin snarled at his thoughts. That blood was from a fallen Uzumaki, his kindred. Adjusting a good grip on his Nodaichi, the familiar handle seemingly comfortable and at ease in his clasp. The blade was an ebony black, steel, with a crimson red hilt. "You Uzumaki bastards," the man hissed out but then grinned maliciously. "Too bad we already have most of you wiped away." _

_ Kenshin frowned intensely before jumping back to create enough room for him to gather the right amount chakra. "I'm afraid you have interfered with the wrong country, Iwa," his eyes narrowed to slits, and he promptly snapped out his hand, palm first. A chain of pure white chakra shot out and wrapped around the man's throat, cutting off the snide remark he was forming on the tip of his tongue. "Because you yourself have stumbled on one of the Six Seals of Uzu no Kuni," Kenshin couldn't help but form a twisted grin on his face as the man pale drastically. "Unfortunately for you, I'm Six." He then closed his fingers around the chain and yanked, following with the sound of tearing flesh and an incapacitated head hitting the ground._

_ He shunshined once more on top of a building, eyes examining below him as he felt the civilian source of chakra that belonged to Uzumaki Masami. She was hunkered down in an alleyway, softly treading toward another street that moved her closer to the Entry Gate. He was thankful that her midnight black hair hid her away rather than the Uzumaki bright red hair, a trait that he was cursed but also blessed with. _

_ Kenshin sharpened his eyes profoundly when he heard a short, shrill whistle. That sound was an alert of defeat. He attempted to cool his uprising anger. That basically meant that they had given up. _Given up_? They were Uzumaki; they did not just 'give up'! Compressing his hand tightly onto the hilt of his sword, Kenshin gritted his teeth together. Iwa was going to _damn_-well pay for this. _

_ "Come out, Naomi," he demanded coldly. Kenshin's frigid blue eyes cut to the left of his vision, searing into a red-headed woman who was hauling a man on her back. She had dried tears stained against her cheeks, her green eyes red-rimmed. She gently set the man down, and Kenshin recognized Uzumaki Isamu straight away. The left side of his face was marred with a vicious slash, rendering that eye absent. He was clutching left arm, which was wounded severely as far as Kenshin could see._

_ Naomi and Isamu were twins, Jounin of Uzu no Kuni and very well the laughing stock of the whole village. Not because they had no skill, they were sufficient enough for their rank, but because everything they said was either sarcastic or 'hold-you-sides-until-you-can't-breathe' hilarious. But the humorous brother and sister were gone, replaced with two fearful, serious Shinobi and Kunoichi. "Uhhhh," Isamu moaned out a pathetic sound, sweat causing his red hair to plaster against his forehead. "Shit."_

_ "Report, Naomi.," Kenshin grabbed a roll of thick gauze from his medic kit pouch and began dressing Isamu's facial wound the best he could – which wasn't as professional as he would have liked. Kenshin had only taken one Medic and Remedial Class as an Academy student, which he now exhaustively regretted._

_ "Uzukage-Sama is dead," she explained mournfully. "It – It was too much, y'know? We hadn't even sensed them coming – I, I don't see how they invalidated the Protection Barrier Seal." Her grip tightened on her brother's hand. "Kenshin, you helped designed the seal yourself! How did they _break it_?" _

_ He knew she blamed him to a certain degree, and he blasted himself with curses – mostly because he had no idea how to answer her desperate question. "They didn't," he thinned his lips out into a harsh line. "There's no way they could have . . . The Seal is impenetrable." _

_ "Obviously not," she spat out._

_ "Naomi, Naomi," Isamu patted her hand in his and closed his eyes wearily. "Do not blame our brethren. There is a reason for this, and I think I know how."_

_ "What's your opinion?" Kenshin asked lowly, finishing off the bandaging on his head with a secured knot._

_ "I think that we were sloppy," Isamu grinned quickly before wincing. "We weren't careful with concealing our techniques, and someone decoded them." The man shrugged and heaved in a ragged breath. "We were arrogant in our abilities."_

_ Kenshin did not reply back to his reasoning. The twenty-five year old closed his eyes and checked Masami's chakra source. Good, she was almost at the Entry Gate. "Continue with your report, Naomi."_

_ "When Uzukage-Sama fell, Sector D and C were almost completely invaded with Iwa-nin . . . Sector B is still ours but not for long. Sector A, where we are, have mostly been cleared out because me and Isamu went all AWOL on their ass. We were meant to be on the outskirts prepared for directing the Civilians away from the Island, but we let the Chunin handle our jobs. We thought it would be –"_

_ Naomi was cut off by Kenshin smacking her in the back of the head. "You _idiots_," he glared. "You willingly deserted your post?" _

_ "I –"Naomi swallowed thickly. "Yes?"_

_ Kenshin scowled at that thought. He was about to chew both of them out, but then he remembered the situation Uzu no Kuni was in and closed off his superiority thoughts toward his subordinates. He was still thinking this was an all-natural day. He couldn't lounge around in the Jounin lounge with his comrades anymore. He couldn't take the newly graduated Genin to Michishio (High Tide) Cliff to show-off how to jump off the large bluff into the ocean that was a two hundred feet drop. He couldn't go home tonight late on accident from his duties and kiss Masami goodnight._

_ "You both should leave here, quickly," Kenshin gestured his head toward the Entry Gate. "Right now." _

_ "No!" Naomi widened her eyes at his words. "You think we are just going to leave you here?"_

_ "We're not _cowards_," Isamu growled as he pushed himself into a standing position, all it did was lack his strength and usual grace. _

_ Kenshin was about to command them to leave as their superior, but then a scream echoed through the notably quiet streets of Uzushiogakure no Sato. Kenshin felt his heart clench tightly as he felt Masami's chakra spike dangerously as if she was distressed or frightened. All three Whirlpool Shinobi tensed with alert before the trio left via Shunshin. Kenshin appeared right next to his wife, who was backing herself up against the wooden wall of Mina's Florist Shop. _

_ Prior to her, there was at least two dozen Iwa Shinobi and Kunoichi, all looking solemn and blank. Kenshin wrapped his arm around Masami's waist and smoothly slid her behind him. Shielding her must not have been the best move because now the leader of the group, who was standing tense, smiled grimly. "I apologize for this . . . The Uzumaki Clan must perish, don't you understand? You tip over the balance scale of power. I'm only fulfilling Kami's wishes on restoring equity."_

_ "Yeah, or your damn Tsuchikage's hankerings," Naomi hissed._

_ The leader sighed calmly and shook his head at them. "I didn't expect you to understand."_

_ "You probably shouldn't attempt and make peace with your enemies," Kenshin blinked blandly at the Iwa-nin and relaxed his stance, collectedly securing his hand around his Nodaichi. "Uzushiogakure no Sato will always prevail." _

_ "You say that now," the Captain stated with an undying determination. _

_ And then the next second there was complete and total chaos. _

_ Kenshin felt as if another battle of the Second Shinobi World War was repeating, on both sides of them, Whirlpool and Iwa Ninja clashed in a battle of blades, jutsu, and Fūinjutsu techniques. Kenshin immediately, at seeing the Shinobi and Kunoichi confront each other like starving wolves, backed Masami into Mina's Florist Shop so that she was out of the crossfire for now. He grimaced at Mina, a good friend and the owner of the shop, laid sprawled out on the dark blue tile floors, a slash at her throat causing blood to puddle beneath her prone body._

_ Masami let out a forlorn groaning sound at her close friend and grabbed Kenshin's hand, squeezing with tears in her eyes. He quickly put her in the backroom of the store where Mina would form pottery for flowers and trees. "Stay here," he told her sternly, straightening his back to Shunshin towards the battle arena outside the door. _

_ He was glad when Masami didn't reply to him with an answer, only hiccupped in her grief-stricken state as she huddled against the corner. Kenshin eyed her with a pensive expression before flickering outside. He was instantly met with ravage roars and pained screams, followed by the discharge of jutsus. Kenshin gripped his sword as he swiftly grabbed an Iwa-nin from the back by his flak jacket, piercing his right lung from behind with swift movements. He watched with cold eyes as the man unleashed a gurgling sound before collapsing from weak knees._

_ Kenshin pulled an explosive tag into his hand and analyzed until he saw a cluster of Iwa-nin jumbled up together. He clutched the one in the middle by his flak collar and ducked under the arm that sailed over his head, throwing out his arm to smack him in the chest with the note and kick him in the face, causing the Iwa-nin to fall backwards against his comrades. With the mi (snake) hand seal, he whispered, "Kibaku Fuda:Akutibu (Explosive Tag: Activate)," and rapidly bounced back to avoid the impact of the explosion._

_ He swiftly sheathed his Nodaichi and grabbed a Rock Kunoichi by her long brown hair, disregarding her screech of protest as she swung an arm out with a kunai between her fingers. Kenshin safety avoided the wild severe and snagged that wrist, wrenching the kunai away and twisting his arm around her throat in a headlock. _

_ Sensing the burst of chakra right behind him, Kenshin whirled around with the woman in his arms just in time for the Iwa-nin to miss the Whirlpool Shinobi and stab the woman on accident, who opened her mouth in a silent scream as the light faded from her dull brown eyes. Kenshin immediately dropped her and launched himself at the Iwa-nin who had stabbed her himself, seizing the man's throat he channeled chakra to his index and middle fingers and swiftly drew a seal onto the man's forehead. "Sokushi shīru: Akutibēto (Instant Death Seal: Activate)." The Iwa-nin crumpled like a sack of rocks, his heartbeat promptly forgetting to continue beating fluently. _

_ "_No_! Oh, no! _Naomi_!" Isamu's tormented cries drifted over to Kenshin and he swiveled his head to see Naomi struggling for life in the grip of the Leader Iwa-nin from before, his kunai lodged deeply into her throat. Isamu was charging recklessly toward the leader, his previous wounds forgotten as he drew his Tanto from its sheath. _

_ Blood dribbled down Naomi's chin, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as life slowly waned from her limp body. "Naomi," Kenshin whispered morosely. He snapped out of his doleful thoughts and quickly ran towards Isamu, who was angered with rage and turmoil. "Isamu! Halt!" The Uzumaki Clansman paid no attention to his superiority demand, raising his sword to kill the leader in one sweep of his short blade. "Isamu! _Stop_!" _

_ Kenshin felt his eyes widen when an Iwa-nin shunshined behind Isamu, grabbing the Whirlpool Shinobi's hair with profound strength and looping an arm around to cut his throat in a clean stroke. "NO!" Kenshin shouted, but it was far too late. The Kunai broke through flesh, blood sprayed, and Isamu's last words were gurgles while his eyes stayed on Naomi's dead form._

_ Kenshin felt his throat tighten with sorrow, but he refused to give in to grief. He clenched his teeth and threw out his right hand, observing stonily as a chakra chain burst from his skin and grabbed the leader by his outstretched arm that was fixing to kill another Uzushiogakure no Sato Shinobi, tugging him enough that it forced the leader to sprawl out on the ground. _

_ Kenshin raced forward as he cut off the connection, pinning the leader down with his knee and unsheathing his Nodaichi with graceful motions. "Have a wonderful time in Hell," he growled out before severing the man's head from his body without a second thought. Kenshin surveyed the area around him to see what their status was._

_ After a few seconds of searching, the answer was obvious: Uzushiogakure was falling._

_ They were losing._

Losing_. _

_ "Kumiko!" He bellowed. Kenshin could make out the woman's slim, tall form throughout the crowd of battling Ninja, and he was satisfied when she heard his shout. Uzumaki Kumiko slipped out between Shinobi and Kunoichi, sprinting her way so that she was by his side. Unlike most Uzumakis', Kumiko did not have the fiery red hair they were known for. Her dark brown hair was in a bun, familiar dark blue eyes slanted. Her family lineage was more Senju than Uzumaki, supposedly. "Cover me," he commanded quietly and she nodded and began fighting any Iwa-nin that dare came ten feet before Kenshin._

_ He grabbed a blank tag from his hip pouch, as well as his brush and rolling up his sleeve to his progressively bleeding wound he had afflicted to himself back at his apartment. He began drawing calligraphic designs along every inch of the note, sweat gathering at his temples as he cautiously performed the grave technique. The only problematic issue with this seal was that you had to channel chakra while making it, which meant if you did make a small mistake, the seal would more than likely converse and cause heavy damage to the Fūinjutsu user._

_ Finished with the seal, Kenshin began gathering a massive amount of chakra, alerting many Shinobi and Kunoichi around him of his intentions. Fortunately for him, the Uzumaki Clan knew the possibility of being caught in the crossfire and rapidly shunshined to the sidelines of the battlefield. Moving through a blur of hand seals, Kenshin roared, "Jūryoku shīru: Akutibēto (Gravity Seal: Activate)!" and then slammed his palms into the tag and watched the property of the Fūin Technique occur moments later._

_ The designs on the seal stretched out on the ground and radiated an amazing pure white, causing the other Ninja to shield their eyes from the luminous light. Kenshin grunted with exertion from the colossal amount of chakra it took from his reserves. He smirked though, when he saw most of the Iwa-nin drop from the forceful momentum of the Gravity Seal. Kenshin cut off the connection, but still kept his hands on the Seal, so that the gravity stayed intact. _

_ The Uzumaki Clan members rushed onto the scene, cutting and killing any Iwa-nin they laid their eyes on that were immobile from the seal Kenshin had performed. Many of them sent him praiseful smiles that made his heart surge with hope. Maybe, maybe they _could_ survive this. Seeing that they had won this battle for the count, Kenshin stood from his couch and burnt the Gravity Seal after its usage. No sense in leaving around Fūinjutsu that Iwa could get their hands on. _

_ Feeling a hand rest on his shoulder, Kenshin tilted his head to the side to observe someone very familiar. Uzumaki Masuro was widely known as the Fifth Seal of Uzushiogakure no Sato, his strength and techniques known right just below Kenshin's. He was also Kenshin's younger brother by two years. "Masuro," he breathed and wrapped his arms around his brother, heaving a long breath that was filled with shudders. "Kami, I'm happy to see you."_

_ "I don't get killed that easily, onii-san," Masuro grinned sheepishly, his long red hair undone from its usual spiky ponytail. "You did a hell of a job making that seal under stress, you realize that . . ."_

_ Kenshin waved a hand. "What's done is done. Leave it at that." He reached into his hip pouch and pulled out a small plastic container with different dyed pills inside. He pulled out two Military Rations Pills and slipped them into his mouth, greedily swallowing so that he wouldn't have to suffer through its bitter taste. "Where's the other four?"_

_ Comprehending his meaning, Masuro glowered severely and reached up, rubbing at his face and now looking haggard. "I don't want to answer that question." There. That was said. So Midori, Ryouchi, Satomi, and Taro were dead. Kenshin felt himself grow ten years more and sighed, his eyes downcast as he stopped where him and Masuro were roaming and peered down at Naomi and Isamu. "Man, they were just kids," his two year younger brother muttered underneath his breath gravely, rubbing the back of his neck. _

_ Kenshin and Masuro picked up their two fallen comrades and took them inside Mina's Florist Shop, where they placed them to the side for later burying. "Kushina left for Konoha two days ago, correct?" Flashes of a grinning red-headed child sneered into his mind, her energetic personality having taken a major roll on his life since she had been born as his family who he had dubbed his 'little girl'._

_ Masuro snapped to attention at the mention of his thirteen-year-old niece. "Y-Yeah . . . Mito-Sama declared her to be the Second Jinchuuriki to the Kyuubi no Kitsune." _

_ "Yeah . . . How do you feel about that?"_

_ "Serious? Are you my therapist now?"_

_ "I've met previous Jinchuriki, Masuro. I'm only asking you a question." _

_ His brother skimmed his fingerless gloved fingers through his feral crimson hair, now looking frustrated and indecisive. "I – I don't know. Mito-Sama was so strong, like you remember when we were kids? We hid under Kaa-san's robes because Mito-Sama's presence was like battling against a tidal wave. Will Kushina-Chan change once the sealing is placed?"_

_ "The Kyuubi will have no effects on her personality, Masuro." Kenshin straightened his back and gazed pointedly at his sibling. "Mito-Sama herself was going to use her dying breath to accomplish the sealing, don't doubt her strengths, Otouto." _

_ "K-Kenshin . . .?" A scared, frightened voice broke through their tense conversation and a small, slim figure passed through the shadows and Kenshin felt someone barrel straight into his chest. Uzumaki Masami embraced him firmly and began wailing into his shirt, in which she attempted to smother it with. He smiled softly and rubbed his hand down her head and into her ash-covered hair. "Are y-you hurt?" She finally gasped out._

_ "No," he stated a second later. "Though I feel like shit, if that makes you happier."_

_ Masami choked on a small laugh and shook her head, pulling back enough so she could look up at his six-foot-two form. "I-It doesn't." She kissed his cheek before shifting her attention toward Masuro, who was standing there uncomfortably with an awkward expression on his face. "Masaru-kun," she gave him a kiss on the cheek as well and hugged him. "Well. I'm happy that Kushina-Chan left earlier."_

_ " . . . Yeah, me too," Masuro looked way._

_ The door to the Shop was thrown open as a red-headed younger Chunin stepped forward and looked at the small group. "Masuro-Sama, Kenshin-Sempai, Masami-Sama, Noboku has located a temporary base that we can use for shelter and storage."_

_ "Thanks, Daichi. Where?" Masuro popped a muscle in his neck and rolled his shoulders, preparing himself to make a clean toward the provisional base of operations. Kenshin narrowed his eyes as he heard the location was just at the edge of Uzushiogakure no Sato, alongside Michishio Cliff. It was formerly a vacant warehouse for Clan Storage, but it wasn't overly suspicious and held no Clan Emblems. The only concern for him was that it was in front of a two hundred feet drop . . . but Kenshin was positive Masaru and him could formulate powerful Barrier Seals. _

_ Sealing away the bodies of Isamu and Naomi, Kenshin pulled Masami closer to him and wrapped an arm around her waist, gently telling her to get on his back. He couldn't help but become aware of how fragile she looked, as if one word would break her. Kenshin did not like seeing her in such a shattering state. Even for a Civilian, Masami had always been strong-willed, accepting his duties as an Uzushiogakure Shinobi toward the fact that his main loyalty was to the Village. But now . . . Kenshin didn't even how to comfort her. _

_ "Masaru," he called out to his brother, who was a distance away ahead of him, "I'm taking Masami to the Entry Gate. I'll only be a second."_

_ Masaru hesitated. "Is that a good idea, Ken?" _

_ His eyes and face grew a cold edge. "She doesn't need to see this anymore. Get Daichi and command him to go with her as protection. The boy's just a kid anyways."_

_ " . . . Alright." His brother shunshined away in a flicker. _

_ Kenshin, without further pause, began running toward the Entry Gate. He was content since Masami remained silent through the haste. He wasn't sure what he would do if she would start telling him that she didn't want to go, or he needed to come with her when she knew that wasn't a possibility. _

_ The Entry Gate, as it began looming in the fleeted distance, was about as tall as the large trees beyond it. It was pure crimson-colored steel, thick bars prohibiting intruders from entering without permission. The Entry Gate was locked close with a swirling blue Seal, which was the Uzumaki Emblem. The only people that were able to open and close the gate were Uzumaki blooded. The Entry Gate was untouched, mostly on account of Iwagakure's forces entering from the South of the gate, directly behind the Uzukage's Tower._

_ "Here." Kenshin let go of Masami's upper-legs and allowed her to stand for herself. He treaded toward the Gate and pressed his palm against the blue emblem, observing wistfully as he channeled his chakra to his hand and the gate unlocked with recognition. "Konoha is a four day trip from here, Masami . . . Hey, look at me," he grabbed her chin between his fingers and angled her head to meet her hazy eyes. "You're going to be _fine_." _

_ "_Yeah_," she whispered quietly, "well what about you, huh? Are you going to be fine?!" Masami finally snapped and jerked back from his hold. When he did not provide a response, she sneered with tears clouding her light green eyes. "_Right_. You expect me to be all fine and dandy up at that Leaf place – but, but I'm not going to be! Not when I know you . . . you're here! You expect me to sit there and wait for you to come in a body bag!" _

_ Kenshin leveled his gaze with hers and spoke in a tight, impassive tone that he only reserved for during a battle or warzone. "Masami. I'm not coming in anything." The words were simple, and very clear. Kenshin knew for a fact that he more than likely would not survive after everything would be over with, and he also knew that there would be no 'going to Konoha as a refugee'. _

_ Masami choked on her breath and finally did the next thing he had expected her to. She reeled her arm back and allowed her hand to smack against the left side of his face. He hardly even felt the connection, but he did grimace at the sob that broke through his wife's mouth. "How c-can you say that?!" She wailed loudly._

_ "Shh," he hushed her quickly. They were in a Safe Zone for the time being, but he from experience that those could change at the last second. "Masami, you're going to Konoha – and you're going to find someone else to love, have some kids I know you've always wanted, you'll be fine –" _

_ "Oh, cut with the cliché _bullshit_, Kenshin!" Masami hissed, her hands curling into fist. "Just stop it."_

_ Hearing a brief source of chakra from behind him, Kenshin revolved his head around to see Uzumaki Daichi drop down from a tree to his far left. The nineteen year-old looked glad and almost reluctant on leaving his home village, but with one look at Kenshin he stood poised at his superior commander. "Daichi," the twenty-five year-old murmured. "I expect you to fulfill your duty to the highest degree, understood?" _

_ "Yes, sir!" _

_ Kenshin turned back to Masami, but only to see her back to him, her silent sniffles almost non-existent as she hugged herself. He heaved a small sigh and reached up, untying the red-clothed Uzumaki Hitai-Tae from his forehead and hugging Masami from behind, resting the headband against her right hand. "I love you," he whispered before kissing the top of her head. "Bye."_

_ And then he shunshined away before she could give a response._

* * *

**_Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato –_**_**Michishio Cliff; Spare Storage Warehouse – 0300 Hours**_

_ "Say, Kenshin-Sama, do you remember last year when the Uzumaki Clan held that Annual whatever-thingy about us alliancing with Konohagakure no Sato?" The question was asked by a Kunoichi known as Sanatae Emiko. She was one of the rarer Ninja that weren't Uzumaki related in any sense. Her short blond hair was tied up in a ponytail with her Uzu Hitai-Tae acting as a headband. She wore standard Shinobi dark blue pants and a tight blue sleeveless shirt, showing off her toned arms. _

_ Kenshin was still gazing down at the ocean from on top of Michishio Cliff. A few Uzushiogakure Ninja had come to wrap Isamu and Naomi's bodies in tarps with gravity seals planted on the top before they casted them down into the ocean. Not a proper burial, really, but if you were any Whirlpool Shinobi or Kunoichi, what better way was there then to lie at the bottom of the beautiful ocean for eternity? His lips quirked upward at her words. "The Annual Communion Reception? Yeah, I remember it clearly. I don't think Masaru does, though." _

_ His brother scoffed and crossed his arms. "I remember pushing you off this cliff, you bastard." _

_ "Yeah, and then I remember Masami beating the shit out of you for it." _

_ "Mah, don't remind me. Couldn't walk for weeks after that." Masaru lightly snickered underneath his breath before a forlorn expression overtook his previous cheerful one. "Yeah, Tousen-Teme wasn't happy that we all got drunk right in front of little Kushina . . ."_

Tousen . . ._ Kenshin lowered his head and met Masaru's eyes. An unspoken message passed between them and before Kenshin knew what was happening; tears were streaming down his cheeks. Tousen was Kenshin and Masaru's older brother, who had been Kushina's father. He had practically raised the two brothers' as his own, and they in turn patrolled and guarded Kushina like watchdogs. Kenshin had never expected Tousen to pass away so quickly, as a kid, the man had seemed to invincible. "_Kami_," he brought his hands up to wipe away the remaining tears. Frustration finally took over his trembling form and he turned and violently kicked the tree next to him, gaining a crack of bark and splinters flying through the early morning air. "Damn it to hell!" He fought to keep a quiet, composed voice._

_ The Whirlpool Ninja around all visibly flinched at his badly disguised rage and anguish. They all felt it as well. Uzushiogakure no Sato was all but in ruins and many of their close friends and relatives were either dead or almost so. Kenshin clinched his jaw and reached up to run the bridge of his nose. "What are our numbers?" He hated his own voice: desperate, fearful, and even pained. He made have been an S-Class Shinobi from the Village Hidden by Whirling Tides, his infamous moniker known as the Six Sin of Uzushiogakure no Sato. He was praised for his Fūinjutsu abilities as a Master and also his Ninjutsu in the art of Raiton (Lightning) and Fūton (Wind). But he was also a human being, and was also slowly, gradually watching as his home was destroyed by these cowardly Rock _dogs_._

_ "There are twenty-six of us, Kenshin-Sama . . ." Uzumaki Minoru muttered, his posture leaning against the large rock that they usually took part in jumping off of and descending the Cliff. Minoru was short for a twenty-two year-old, only standing at five-foot-nine. His red fringe was normal for an Uzumaki but his deep brown eyes set him apart from everyone else. _

_ Masaru chuckled dryly. "Our Nation was at an amount of Ninja of a powerful Army about two hours ago, and now, we're down to twenty-six?" He scowled in revulsion. "We had enough Ninja for fifty Battalions, fifty units! That weighed us with nearly fifteen _hundred_ Ninja!" _

_ " . . . And now we're practically extinct," Kumiko finished cynically. Her dark blue eyes shifted to Kenshin precariously for answers. "What do we do? What _can_ we do?"_

_ Kenshin rubbed wearily at his eyes. " . . . We can fight. That's all we can do."_

_ "Fight? That's all you can tell us? To fight?" Emiko growled underneath her breath. "We need more than _fight_!" _

_ "Oh, well let me update you on something," Masaru moved forward until he was staring down at Emiko with an intimidating ferocity. "We are _Uzumaki_, Emiko. You've been here for a while now, I had hoped that you had picked up on the 'Fight now and ask questions later' attitude a long time ago." He narrowed his eyes in an act of resolute but a moment later his mouth cracked into a silly grin. "I'm sorry, I can't be serious – that's kind of Onii-San's job." The other Whirlpool Ninja blossomed smiles as well for his effort of lightening the mood, but Kenshin didn't allow that to happen – it wasn't as if he didn't want them to laugh and carry on like usual, but he was in a somber mood. _

_ Kenshin bit his bottom lip in contemplation, eyes closing in his ponderings. Iwagakure no Sato outnumbered them in Ninja, but not provisions – they had more supplies, which was a pro in their favor. They could not just charge in without a calculated and thought-out strategy. He knew there was a speculation of creating an Fūinjutsu Seal to kill squadrons of the Iwa forces . . . but Seals to that caliber took a specific amount of time, and neither Masaru nor Kenshin had scrolls with those Seals already drafted. That wasn't an advisable option. They could ambuscade against them, this _was_ their home, and Kenshin fathomed the Uzumaki's knew more of their homeland than Iwagakure did . . . _

_ . . . An idea dawned on his mind. "Kiron," his attention was aimed toward a man at the age of his mid-thirties. He was tall and broad, with silver-streaked short-cropped red hair and faded blue eyes from years of Military service. He was dressed in a Jounin red flak jacket and dark blue Shinobi pants. Kiron was known all-over Uzushiogakure no Sato as a Jounin Instructor at the Uzushio Academy for pre-Genin. _

_ Kiron shifted to his feet at the mention of his name, straightening his legs from sitting down on the ground. "Yes?" _

_ "I am well-aware that the tunnels underneath the Academy connected all around the sewers?" Kenshin hadn't meant it as a question, but it certainly came out as one._

_ Kiron narrowed his eyes with thoughtfulness. "Ah, yes. I'm surprised you know that. That's Foundation classified, Kenshin." The Uzu Foundation, Kenshin had almost forgot about the proclaimed 'Council' and their 'private meetings' and 'important issues'. _

_ "Yes, well, you'd find that I have a healthy persuasion ability," the comment made some of them chuckle with fond memories of the past, but the mood swiftly switched to somber. "Fine. I didn't know it was Foundation classified; Masaru, I, and Kumiko went down them as kids." _

_ Kiron didn't look surprised in the slightest. "Very well. They were proscribed dangerous after some of them collapsed on a group of curious Chunin snuck down there with a few Sake bottles _–"

_ "They say, 'Curiosity kills the cat'," Emiko smirked as she was received with blanks stares._

_ "– about a decade back," Kiron continued as if she hadn't spoken. "But you're correct; the Tunnels stretch around all over Uzushio until four different underpasses lead out directly above the ocean's surface." He shrugged as if the conversation was meaningless. "The escape routes are all barred, not with Harboring Seals either, Uzukage-Sama specified that he didn't want anything more to do with those tunnels following that incident."_

_ "That is not an issue," Kenshin rubbed his jaw before turning on his heel and walking determinedly toward the warehouse. "Masaru, I need a four-man unit of our best Espionage Experts – or, anyone comparable. I also need all of the blank paper tags that we can find. You all have ten minutes. _Go_." No one dared argue with the Six Seal of Uzushiogakure no Sato, the six of them all parted separate ways to fulfill their commanded duties._

_ Kenshin swept into the warehouse with perseverance, his Prussian blue eyes doing a brief scan over the other Uzumaki Ninja in the building. He approached a transparent metal table near the left of the storage warehouse and spoke aloud, "does anyone here have a competent map of Uzushio?" _

_ Feeling paper press into his hand, Kenshin didn't spare the Shinobi or Kunoichi a glance as he spread the graph across the metal table, reaching into his hip pouch for a spare brush and a rectangular shaped inkwell. Sensing Masaru appear next to him, he examined the four-man Espionage unit. Uzumaki Minoru, he knew was an infiltration expert, which was basically identical, except infiltration was more toward spying tactics while espionage was reconnaissance. Kumiko was next, her wavy brown hair now down and framing her sullen face. The last male there was tall, reaching nearly Kenshin's height; he was known as Tanaka Yori, now formerly one of the Uzukage's Elite bodyguards, a member of the notorious Whirlpool ANBU organization. As far as he knew, Tanaka Yori was a prodigy. Kenshin had once been in ANBU, and the accustomed span of time spent in the Black Ops Organization was only two and a half years, but Yori has been in ANBU for a little over four years. An impressive, dangerous feat it was._

_ Minoru, Kumiko, and Yori – it was acceptable, now with him as Captain._

_ He steeled his eyes and eyed them cautiously, easing his fingers around the brush as it dipped into the bottle of ink. " . . . So this is what we are going to do . . ."_

* * *

**_Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato – Subterranean Tunnels – 0430 Hours_**

****_"__Base located. Visible threats__?" Yori's natural silent voice cackled through the recipient speaker located in Kenshin's ear. _

_ "__Negative,__" Masaru answered, though his words faded and grew louder from the winds. "__Don't you tadpoles worry your asses off. We have you covered from every angle."_

_ Kenshin pressed his inner-hand against the rough, moisturized dirt against the sides of the burrow. He now understood why Nidaime-Sama had restricted entrance down here, it was hazardously unstable. But that also supported his upcoming plans. He was reassured of backup when he felt Kumiko close to his right side, her shoulder carefully pressing against his upper-back when he would pause for scanning the area. He reached up and pressed his index against the speaker, "__Your report, sensor." _

_ "__Located base at a distance of fifty meters, two clicks to your right, Captain. Advised discretion. Enemy stands high in count.__" Minoru's voice diminished after that last word, perhaps unsure. _

_ "__Be literal, sensor. I need a number."_

_ "__Estimated two hundred. Three foot patrols."_

Yori cut in, "_Per group?"_

_ "__Four.__" _

_ "__Posts?__" _

_"One click from Masaru-Sama's position."_

_ Static blossomed in Kenshin's ear. "__Permission to engage silently?__" Masaru's questioned was met with silence until Kenshin answered a quiet, "__Granted.__" He knew Masaru would get the job done with little problems, but now they had to get to their rightful locations and wait for the perfect timing. _

_ He was dragged out of his thoughts when Kumiko placed a hand on his shoulder. "You do realize that once this is done, Uzushio will fall. By our hands." There were unshed tears in her blue eyes._

_ "It can be rebuilt," was his heavy response._

_ Kumiko casted her gaze downwards and laughed, though it was slightly coated with grief and bitterness. She carefully dropped her hand back to her side. "That it may, but never the same – _never_." _

_ "Perhaps. It isn't as if we are going to cover up its scars, Kumiko. We'll feel them, hide them away, but never forgotten." His words hardly made sense in his mind, but they seemed to brighten her aura just a little bit. _

_ "And I will follow you," Kumiko smiled grimly. "Uzukage-Sama," she added. _

_ Kenshin made a sound in his throat. "That, my lovely cousin, is considered treason by Shinobi's law."_

_ "Perhaps," she shrugged indifferently. "But either way, after all of this done and over with, we all know where the loyalty goes," her eyes met his, "to the leader who saved the Village. A hero. You, the Sandaime Uzukage." _

_ "A _hero_," Kenshin trailed off and continued roaming down the dark, cavern-like tunnels. "Ridiculous. Have you seen our home? Is that what a Hero does?"_

_ "No. But as you said, it will be rebuilt."_

Huh_, Kenshin mused with a shroud of doubt. Strange, how Kenshin and Kumiko had grew up together, she still followed and respected him a natural leader. Strange indeed. He continued walking and focusing on their objective at hand. _

_ "__Captain, you are at your destination, as are we.__" Minoru stated. _

_ Masaru sounded as if he was panting for air, "__The Patrols have been dismissed. All clear.__"_

_ Kenshin felt as if his life exploded in front of his eyes with the signification of his plan. He tapped the earpiece once, "__I'm only going to say this once, and only once. So listen carefully.__" An intake of breath on his part. "__These aren't regular Explosive Tags, they're modified for battle, and they're stronger. When the tag attaches to the object that you plan to demolish, you have a time rate of five seconds before it detonates. Am I clear?"_

_ He felt how frigid Kumiko was when she chorused with the others, "__Yes, sir."_

_ "__The escape routes are directly twenty meters to both of our rights, the tunnels will eventually meet and we'll intersect with each other. I have a Seal to open the Gate, so do not worry. Are you ready?"_

_ Minoru sounded breathless, "__As I'll ever be . . .__"_

_ "__We can do this,__" Yori said to ensure himself. _

_ "I'm ready, Uzukage-Sama," Kumiko smiled wryly from behind him. _

_ "__Have the Tags at ready, I will give the command.__" Kenshin reached into his hip pouch and slid his fingers over the Tags securely. They were called Tatakau (Battling) Tags, they were also Uzumaki Kenshin's creation, his very first, actually. They became widely known when he had first experienced his first Second Shinobi World War battle, in which he had annihilated a whole battalion of Iwa-nin on the lands of Amegakure no Sato. He had also achieved his title of the Six Seal along with the other Seals in that battle alone. He pulled the Tags out and help them gently, but firmly, and sent Kumiko a stern glance from the darkness of the tunnel. "__One, two three . . . NOW!__" Kenshin reached up and slapped the tags down together, twisting them counterclockwise for the other ones to explode as well._

_ 1 . . ._

_ Kenshin began sprinting as fast as he could down the tunnel, dark blue eyes searching the cavern swiftly and deadly. He _

_ 2 . . ._

_ . . . 3 . . ._

_ Kumiko's hand grabbed his, and Kenshin jerked her ahead of him as they neared the intersection where they would meet Yori and Minoru. _

_ 4 . . ._

_ A panicked shout sounded behind Kenshin, he recognized Minoru's voice, and sighed with relief. Good, they were close. Kenshin narrowed his eyes as he saw the barred escape route and he rapidly gathered chakra into his hand. _

_ . . . 5 . . ._

_ "Hurry! _NOW_!" _

_ The sound of a deafening explosion trembled the tunnels and dwindled away the screams of Kumiko. Kenshin reached forward and began drawing the Seal hastily and almost clumsily, the heat of the discharge on his back was beginning to come closer and closer. Kenshin yelled, "Kaijo Fūin: Akutibēto (Unlock Seal: Activate)," when the Seal became effective, and he kicked the bars away and grabbed the back of Kumiko's black mesh shirt, immediately throwing her over his back and the side of the cliff, towards the safety of the ocean. He did the same with Yori and Minoru, albeit they were more aware of the fact unlike Kumiko. _

_ Kenshin pushed himself off the ledge just as fire and chunks of dirt and rocks blasted from the exit of the tunnel. He had only a second to enjoy the sensation of the humid morning air before he dived into the cool ocean water, tepid liquid encasing him and soothing the dirt and grime away from his skin. _Beautiful . . . _He mused wistfully, the coral reed underneath him exactly like the one beneath Michishio Cliff. _

_ And then he was reeling upwards and gasping for oxygen above surface level, coughing at the water splashing in his face from a cheering Kumiko was expertly swinging herself around in the sea. Kenshin furrowed his brows before following her gaze. _

_ The Uzukage's Tower was in remnants, fire and black smoke licking up at the orange-hued morning sky. _

_ "We did it, Ken!" The brown-haired Uzumaki threw her arms around Kenshin and hugged him tightly, squealing in his ear all the while. "We did it, we did it!"_

_ He only swam there, frozen for a moment from the adrenaline of it all. _

_ And then he encircled his arms around Kumiko's waist and hugged her back. _

_ And he cried._

* * *

_**Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato –**__**Michishio Cliff; Spare Storage Warehouse – 1500 Hours**_

_ Ration bars was more disgusting then sea water. They tasted like a mixture of cardboard and dust – which was not an exaggeration. Kenshin quickly wolfed down the food before he could be hit with the bitter aftertaste. _

_ "I have bad news."_

_ Ah, those words were beginning to replay like a broken record. Kenshin exhaled heavily through his nose with exasperation. It had been a solid three days since the falling of the Uzukage Tower, and ever since then, he had received reports of:_

_ "The Testament of Warriors has been broken beyond repair."_

_ "Uzushio Clinic Center has been reduced to ashes."_

_ "The Shrine of Lost Scrolls is gone, the scrolls are missing."_

_ "The Uzumaki Compound is on fire."_

_ "The Directory of Uzushio has been stolen . . ."_

_ Kenshin was sick of it all. It was as if that bastard Ōnokiwas making a statement by wiping away their prideful momentums of Uzushiogakure no Sato. " . . . What is it now?" He growled out, turning to flash his eyes dangerously at his little brother._

_ Masaru gulped at the tension bubbling through the air. "Ah . . . Sector A has been overthrown . . ."_

_ Immediately recognizing the location of where the Entry Gate, Kenshin vividly cursed and scowled. "Anything else?"_

_ "No, sir."_

_ "Then just leave . . ."_

_ Kenshin stood there silently when Masaru made no movement to Shunshin or simply stroll away. He could his brother's worry and fear, which made his anger spike to a high level of intensity. Dark blue eyes shifted until he was glaring at the sullen face of Uzumaki Masaru. It was a rare occurrence for his brother to look remotely distress at all, but it was clearly one of those infrequent moments. Masaru opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it once more before snapping his jaw closed. _

_ Kenshin waited patiently, eyeing the twenty-two year-old with disregard._

_ "I-want-to-do-the-Confinement-Seal!" _

_ Masaru's worse came out in a hushed rapid tone, causing the words to be jumbled with hisses. Kenshin frowned and furrowed his eyebrows, narrowing his eyes in slight confusion. "Pardon?"_

_ "The Confinement Seal . . . I want you to give me permission to draw the Confinement Seal on you . . ." Masaru's face mirrored defeat. "You know, just as well as I do, that we won't win this War, Ken. I will always fight, to my dying breath, but we won't win – and we need someone to carry on our legacy when this is over."_

_ Kenshin's scowl curled into a snarl. "And you think that I, Uzumaki Kenshin, want to wake up and suddenly find that my family has been murdered and I am alone in this world?" _

_ Masaru's eyes grew wide at that. "Alone? Never alone, Ken."_

_ "Well that's what I'll be!"_

_ "Please, brother – just listen to me. I love all of my family, my friends, my comrades – this is for Kushina . . ." Tears swelled in Masaru's eyes. " . . . I have already discussed this with Kumiko, and she agrees. _Fuck_, KEN - Kushina doesn't even know her father has been killed in cold blood! What else can we do?!"_

_ "We can win this war, Masaru! We can win this war and go to Kushina ourselves!"_

_ "That isn't going to happen, Kenshin!"_

_ "Like hell it isn't!"_

_ By the time their fierce shouts had ended, the two were gripping the collar of each other's shirts, faces inches apart as they huffed with anger. Kenshin was annoyed more than resentful. He still had hope that Uzushio could return to what it was, it could – it could be rebuilt . . . "You're losing your Uzumaki spirit," he told his brother earnestly. "What happened to 'fight first and ask questions later'?" _

_ "I just told you I was going to fight to my dying breath . . ."_

_ "_No_, you _idiot_, you just told me you were going to run with your tail between your legs and leave me here to deal with this myself!" _

_ Masaru froze and almost began to tremble with emotion. "I don't know what else to do," he whispered dolefully. "Please, Kenshin . . . Do this as my dying wish . . ."_

_ Kenshin growled in his throat. "You haft to be kidding me," he bit out. Kenshin released his brother's shirt and stepped away, lips twisting into a grimace as he heard the ragged breathing coming from Masaru. He didn't want to admit to himself that Masaru had a point, but he had made another point clear as well. "When you can tell me, that me doing this is for the best of the Village, not for Kushina, I will take you up on your offer."_

_ He turned on his heels and marched._

* * *

_**Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato – Border of Sector A and Sector B; The Dragon's Tea – 1500 Hours**_

_ "Oh shit, oh shit, oh _shit_," Kenshin swore underneath his breath with a panicked expression. His hands were stained with thick, crimson liquid, pressing his palm against the wound on the person he was crouching over. He was such an idiot, he was such an asshole – dammit, this was his fault. _

_ Kumiko coughed once, a trail of blood leaking out of the corner of her mouth. "Ah," she gasped and sputtered out words that he couldn't make out from her lungs being filled with blood. "K-K-Ken . . ."_

_ "Oh – I, I . . ." Kenshin reached his crimson stained hands back and fisted his hair, the blood mingling with his own red hair. "I'm so sorry, Kumiko. D-Don't worry, I can heal you!" Kenshin couldn't kid himself as he stared at the fatal wound against her chest. They had been out scouting for supplies, after two weeks of being in that storage Warehouse, the food had quickly dissipated into crumbs and empty wrappers. _

_ And as they had been carefully roaming, Kumiko had brought up the touchy subject of Masami – Kenshin had practically exploded with anger. He hadn't meant to, but the stress of everything had wanted him to vent infuriation at something or someone. Kumiko had stormed away and . . . and that was when the trap had set off. Neither of them had seen it – whoever had set it up had been a subterfuge expert. The trigger she had stepped on had caused two Kunai to unleash at her with violent speed . . ._

_ Kenshin knew no medical jutsu. Nothing. _

_ In fact, on their Genin unit, Masaru had been the Medic of the team, surprisingly. "K-Kumiko . . . Kami, what should I do?" He bent forward and grabbed her head, lifting her up to a bone-crushing hug. "Tell me!" Kenshin begged. The Dragon's Tea Restaurant's white tile was quickly becoming blemished the color of dark red._

_ "I-It's okay," Kumiko whispered hoarsely, her voice coated with pain and tears. "It's okay . . ."_

_ "K-Kumiko, I'm sorry. I – I –"_

_ "S-Shh . . ." _

_ And then her body went limp._

* * *

**_Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato - Michishio Cliff; Spare Storage Warehouse – 0630 Hours_**

_The cool feeling of ebony ink against his back brought Kenshin out of his troubling thoughts, which were about Uzushio, about Masami, about Kumiko, about Iwa – about _everything_. He easily felt Masaru's presence behind him, who was holding a brush with intense concentration as he began conducting the Confinement Seal. _

_ Kenshin, after ten minutes of complete silence, barked out a sudden, bitter laugh. "I can't believe Tousen taught you this Seal – but not me . . . It's as if he knew this would happen . . ."_

_ "Maybe he did," Masaru's voice was raspy with tremors._

_ "Perhaps . . ." Kenshin shivered when the brush was moved across his collarbone, now sliding over his bare chest. "So how about that reason, Masaru? Ever think of one worthy enough?"_

_ Masaru paused, but the continued with his expertise calligraphy. When he spoke, he was smiling only slightly. "If there was true peace in this world, then none of this would have happened. Peace wouldn't have brought bloodshed and war; peace wouldn't have caused Iwa to attack us. No, peace would have allowed Masami to stay, to have those children she was always cooing about. Peace would have allowed Kumiko to live, it would have allowed all of our family to be alive and with us . . ._

_ But I don't care about peace." Kenshin widened his eyes and met Masaru's fierce gaze. "Peace will eventually come, by someone who faithfully believes and is strong-willed, and I know that is none of us, maybe of our lineage in the future. But when you wake up, I want you to go kill those Iwa bastards, show them the true Uzumaki power and reveal to them the Testaments of True Warriors." _

_ Kenshin frowned before his lips gradually curled into a soft smile. "You speak like a true Uzumaki, you do. . . The Testament of True Warriors, huh? Sounds kind of cliché."_

_ "You tell me, Ken, you are the one who wrote it."_

_ "I did, didn't I?"_

_ Masaru smiled when he finished the last stroke of the brush and crouched, pressing his palm against the middle of Kenshin's chest. "I'm going to activate it . . . Are you ready?"_

_ "Uzushio will prevail."_

_ Masaru nodded with his eyes closed, "Uzushio will prevail." _

_ "Tojikome shīru: Akutibēto (Confinement Seal: Activate)!"_

* * *

**Uzu no Kuni - Uzushiogakure no Sato – Whirlpool Ruins – 0530 Hours**

Kenshin wheezed, allowing his head to prop against a rock slab supporting his weak body. _The question of the day is . . . How long was I confined? _


	2. Fiery Red Hair

**The Testament of True Warriors – **_Fiery Red Hair_

**_ Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato – Kaizen and Aiko's Bar – 2230 Hours_**

_ The soft, yet blasting rock music streamed through the circular speakers above Uzumaki Kenshin's head, his hand reflexively holding the swinging door for a young older couple who already looked intoxicated, judging by the shrill giggles and groping hands. He snickered, allowing them to pass by while the woman winked suggestively at him._

_ The twenty-one year-old Whirlpool Shinobi sighed as the wood creaked underneath his steps, his strides treading toward the packed bar where the familiar form of Kaizen wiping down the shining counter slid into his peripheral view. Kaizen was a burly husband of Aiko and owner of the most established bar in Uzushio – he was also a close friend of Kenshin, having once been in a Chunin squad together. "Ohayo, Kai," he slid out a stool with his foot and plopped himself down unceremoniously. _

_ Kaizen allowed a brief grin to slip on his chiseled face. "Kenshin, man, it's been awhile!" He reached across the counter and gently cuffed the active ninja across the head. Kaizen reached down and grabbed a Sake bottle from the refrigerated area underneath the bar, veering the canteen toward him. "It's on the house, boy. Heard about Masaru's promotion to ANBU, tough day?"_

_ Kenshin glowered comically and scowled with resentment toward the word 'ANBU'. "Brat doesn't know what he's getting himself into." He pulled the cap of the bottle off with his teeth and took a long, burning swig. "He thinks it all that superiority and powerful shit, but when he receives his first mission I am going to throw all caution to the wind . . ."_

_ Kaizen draped the white dish towel across his broad shoulder. "Gonna beat him? Or ya going to show him what ANBU mission actually are?"_

_ Kenshin shook his head. "I purposely waited to be placed on a Genin team for two years so that I could protect Masaru . . . Kai, I'm a fucking coddler. No . . . I'm going to let Tousen drill him to death, but I'm not going to be there when he comes back broken."_

_ "Harsh," Kaizen winced with sympathy toward his friend. Without any delay toward the serious intent of their conversation, a sudden bark of laughter drifted from the entry to the busy bar and Kaizen flashed a strained smirk toward the male Shinobi entering. "_Ah_! Boys, good to see you again! Have a seat anywhere!"_

_ Kenshin frowned toward his comrades. Almost each of them had women hanging off their arms, maybe two of the mix was Kunoichi but the other females were unmistakably prostitutes; judging by their massive busts and revealing clothing. He didn't necessarily dislike Shinobi who sauntered around with them, it was a stress relief remedy to drink and have all-nighters with willing women. But when drinking heavily, and having a woman pressing herself against you, demanding to see how high-ranking and powerful you were, his comrades immediately turned into rude jackasses. _

_ All of these men, by records, were High Chunin with C- and occasional B- Rank missions. How funny._

_ Kenshin took another extended drink of the alcoholic beverage in his hand, appreciating the torrid feeling of the liquid. "Where's Aiko, Kai?" _

_ "Ah," Kaizen's smile was grim, "you know how she feels about being a Kunoichi. She's on a B-Rank mission right now . . ."_

_ Kenshin decided to drop the topic on that, mostly because a new noise distracted him. Behind Kaizen, toward to where another swinging door to the storage and freezer room in the back, swung open by a human silhouette. He narrowed his eyes at the unfamiliar back that greeted his vision, the obvious short female pursing her lips at the large crate of spirituous drinks. As she struggled to lift them up on the smooth counter, Kenshin studied her. She was only five-foot-five, wearing a loose mesh shirt that was styles as a tank top; her pants were light grey and were tucked into Shinobi sandals. _

Strange_, he thought, _she doesn't look or act like a Kunoichi_. And she really didn't. Ninja were graceful and confident on their feet, while this woman easily stumbled and kept casting around uneasy glances. _

_ Kaizen, having just served another shot, noticed where his eyes lead to. "Oh my. Masami! Please go refresh my Shinobi guest with some drinks, will ya?" He seemed a bit reluctant in commanding her as his newly employed barmaid, but she sent him a small smile and dusted off her hands against her jeans as she began walking toward the group of low-Ranking Shinobi and Kunoichi. _

_ As she began questioning the patrons for their choice of refreshment, Kenshin leaned forward on his elbows and whistled, gaining Kaizen's distracted attention from a civilian couple he'd been discussing something trivial with. "Ey, Kai, who's the lady?" He was certain to keep his tone polite and disinterested, though the curiosity clearly gleamed in his dark blue eyes._

_ Kaizen grinned. "Ah, you're talking about Masami-Chan? She's Aiko-Hime's younger sister . . . looks like her, huh?" She really did . . . The long curly black hair and emerald green eyes shone in contrast to most Uzumakis, even if she wasn't one of blood. Aiko was an older version of Masami, with stray stripes of gray, revealing her age, and laughing lines around her eyes and mouth. _

_ "What made you hire her?"_

_ ". . . I'm not really at liberty to tell you that, Sempai . . ." _

_ It was strange for someone of Kaizen's age to call him superior. Kenshin shrugged off from Kai dismissing his simple question. Maybe it was a personal response. Perhaps Masami had been homeless, maybe it was too embarrassing to mention – it was really none of his business. _

_ Kenshin was obtaining another long drink of Sake just as a hand clamped down on his shoulder, a familiar slender body pressing against his back as another arm was thrown over his. Kumiko laid her head against her arm on his shoulder, dark blue eyes glittering in the dim lighting of the bar. "Kennnnnnn~," she sang. There was a long pause of no movement before he felt something wallop him across the head. "You sick bastard, you! What were you thinking?!" Kumiko completely ignored his blatant attempts at mumbling out sincere excuses, bouncing herself onto the bar top and sitting in front of him. _

_ "How'd you get in here?" He asked blankly, already knowing how the nineteen year-old snuck inside._

_ "You let Masaru join ANBU!" She exploded._

_ "Don't speak so freely, Kumiko. You know enlisting is Foundation classified, so shut the hell up," he attempted to take another drink, but his former Genin teammate snatched it from his hands. "_Kumiko_," he growled in warning. _

_ "Oh 'shut the hell up'," she mocked in a horrible interpretation of his voice, "you're lucky that I wasn't there finding out, asshole! How could you do that to him! You were one of the youngest ANBU Captains and now look at you! Will that happen to him? Huh? _Huh_?"_

_ ". . . Are you insulting me?"_

_ "No, I'm saying you have no sense of humor. Are you even an Uzumaki?"_

_ "Tousen hasn't told me otherwise . . ."_

_ Kumiko scoffed into the air. She was currently off-duty after an A-Rank mission; her dark brown hair was pinned up into a nondescript bun, strands hanging around her irritated face. She was wearing what was normal in Kumiko's standards, dark blue Shinobi pants and a black mesh shirt, which was easily like a second-layer of skin. Her pants were tucked into knee-high black Shinobi boots, an article of her outfit that Masaru always commented on: "_Those are hooker shoes_." "_That's sexy, Kumi_." Or Kenshin's personal favorite: "_Show those to the enemy, I'm sure he'll pay a hefty price for you with those boots on._"_

_ "Ken, I'm being serious . . . Masaru isn't strong enough . . ." Kumiko crossed her arms and frowned sullenly. "I won't get to see him anymore, why is he doing this?"_

_ He opened his mouth to answer with another boring excuse, but a sound and shatter of glass snapped his attention elsewhere. The woman, Masami, was bearing a stunned and furious expression, one of the Chunin arms wrapped around her hips as he forced her down onto his lap. Her tray of drinks had been scattered along the floor into shards and liquor. The unit of Chunin was roaring with laughter while Masami flushed with anger and infuriation. "Get off me you pig!" She shouted, turning around to slap the man across the face with as much strength as she had._

_ But she didn't haft to._

_ Kenshin, hands shoved in his pockets, stood at attention in front of the table. The bar had gone deftly quiet, even the wasted couple and fake-ID teenagers in the very back. "Chunin have always been a pain in my ass," he lolled his head back on his shoulders and cracked a few strained muscles. _

_ The Chunin all began to sweat and grow weakly pale at seeing the person in front of them. "J-Jounin Commander," one of the Kunoichi gasped in fear. As if in all in sync, the five Shinobi and Kunoichi all stood up in unison and saluted to their superior. _

_ Kenshin rubbed the back of his head, giving them all disinterested stares. "I don't tolerate this behavior from my Ninja. You all will be written up with a six month extension. Seriously, guys, if you can't act civil toward _civilians_, then I advise you not to go out into public." He waved his hand carelessly. "Leave before I make it a year extension." _

_ And they did as he commanded, bolting and knocking over a chair or two on their way out of the bar. _

_ Masami was running a hand through her curly black hair, sending him an appraising look as she began picking up the broken glass that had dropped from her grasp. "I could have handled that myself." _

_ Kumiko, who was now standing beside Kenshin with a wicked smirk, spoke, "well that was amusing to watch. Never seen Kouto look so scared before, Kenshin." _

_ "Well after what Naomi did to him in that spar yesterday, I would say I'm more comparable to a soft bunny rabbit," Kenshin dead-panned at his close friend, sending her a vacant expression that held no humor toward his 'hilarious' statement – which she laughed giddily at, to his bemusement. He wasn't trying to be funny . . . at all._

_ "Oh, you're so funny, Ken-Kun!" Kumiko giggled._

_ "Yeah, well by me more bottles sake and I'll make more _funny_ jokes."_

* * *

**Nami no Kuni - Boating Docks - 1100 Hours**

The blare of a ship's horn drowned out Uzumaki Kenshin's current thoughts. He was still coming to terms of two, highly foreboding aspects; one, Uzushiogakure no Sato was gone, completely obliterated off the map of the Elemental Nations; two, he had just came to know that eleven years had come to pass. It has been eleven fucking years of him being under the confinement of the seal. Kenshin did not even know he could be confined that long! And not to mention he hadn't aged a day, he was still twenty-five, with the wild mane of crimson hair and chiseled cheekbones.

Stepping weakly onto the pier of the docks, Kenshin cursed his luck. His body was more than weak; it was as if he had slept for a decade, no pun there. Not to mention that his clothes were fairly antiquated in this time and present, so wearing Samurai-styled flak jackets caused him many disgruntle, too-curious glances.

Kenshin roamed off the wooden dock and frowned, scanning the area. It was lively for a fishermen and trade networking town, with buzzing people and little kids running circles around their mothers at the humble shopping markets. For a rainy island, it saddened Kenshin to realize that this place slightly reminded him of Uzu no Kuni – it wasn't the same, never the same, but it held a fraction of what Uzushio used to be.

"Uhh . . . Son, are you alright?"

Kenshin flickered his dark blue eyes toward a man that looked to be in his middle-forties. The man was perhaps five-foot-eleven in height with black hair and gray streaks running through his mane, signaling his aging years. He was wearing a sleeveless dark shirt and plain shorts, a straw hat on his head to shield his weather-beaten face from the heated sun. The glasses the man wore reflected on a ray of sunlight as he smiled at Kenshin.

"A little tired, but I can't complain." _I could actually complain a lot. _"Why do you ask?"

The man raised his eyebrows before eyeing Kenshin's attire and fiery red hair. "Uhh, no reason," he coughed. He held out a hand. "The name's Tazuna, kid. And I could say without a doubt that you are not from around here."

He rubbed the back of his head with his left hand using his right to grasp and shake the older man's hand. "Kenshin. Nice to meet you." He glimpsed down at his red flak jacket and crimson steel-plated armor. "Um, Tazuna-San, may I ask where I can buy some clothes?" Right on cue, his stomach growled ferociously. "And some food?"

He began to neglect the fact that he had no money with him whatsoever, having it been destroyed eleven years prior. Tazuna somehow saw that as well. "You know what? I think you look to be about my son's size. He went off to Konoha for work, left a lot of stuff – how about you come back to my house, and I will offer you a hot meal with no costs?"

Kenshin's eyes softened briefly as he shifted uncomfortably. "That's a very hefty offer, Tazuna . . . How do you know I'm not some ninja who's only looking for trouble?"

Tazuna barked out a laugh as he clapped Kenshin on the back. "All ninja look for trouble, son. I can just see the good ones at heart," he winked. "Come on, follow me."

Kenshin was lead through the small port in Nami no Kuni. He made sure to examine the hunter green trees and vivid blue sky, watching purposelessly as birds, butterflies, and bees soared by his peripheral vision and off into another direction. He heard chatter through the shopping district, where adults conversed with family friends and children giggled at another children. It was a sight that would never get too old in his eyes.

The house that Tazuna was leading him to was two stories. It was framed like a hut of sorts, rickety porch with wooden beams supporting the thin ceiling. What caught Kenshin's attention was the beautiful, wild garden growing directly beside the house. He could even see brightly colored flowers and vines snaking up the right of the building. He wasn't exactly certain if it was a vegetable garden, but judging by the basket of fresh fruit and other lumpy colored shapes, he had to guess that it was.

"Tsunami! I have a guest staying for the night, get out here!" Tazuna called, his eyes narrowed in on toward the fenced garden.

A fifteen year-old girl came bounding out, clad in a pink dress that swept down to her knees. She was pretty with a heart-shaped face, onyx eyes curious and long dark blue hair swept into a high ponytail. "Tou-San, Mira dropped off a bottle of sake like you had ordered . . ." Tsunami trailed off when she caught sight of the six-foot-two redhead and almost immediately the basket that had been in her arms dropped to the ground, sending fruit and vegetables scattering. "Oh my God!" She screamed, almost horrified.

Kenshin's eyes were wide. Tazuna frowned. "Tsunami . . . That's not very polite."

She ignored him and trembled where she stood. "Y-You . . . U-Uzumaki? Kenshin!?"

Kenshin furrowed his eyebrows at the terrified tone she used, as if he was some ghost raised from the ground – which, wasn't exactly far from validity. He didn't even know how this girl could even know him, because she would have been only four when he had actually been 'alive' – in a sense – in his precedent time. Kenshin grimaced and glanced around the area once. "Um, do I know you, miss?" _I'm positive that I do not._

Tsunami had tears glittering in her obsidian eyes as she scanned the shopping district behind the two men, her panicked expression telling him that she was searching for someone. She bust forward and grabbed his calloused, larger hand, dragging him forward toward the wooden entryway. "Come quickly!" Tsunami ushered, her smaller figure becoming dwarfed by his broad posture.

As Tazuna pursued them into the two-story building, he slammed the door shut behind him and threw his straw-hat on top of the square-shaped kitchen table. "Tsunami, I think you have some explanations for me."

"I know, Tou-San – just let me get this straightened out!" Tsunami dropped Kenshin's hand and locked eyes with him. "You . . . are Uzumaki Kenshin, right?"

"I am," he frowned.

"How?"

"Pardon?"

"You are supposed to be dead!" Tsunami shifted backwards as if frightened of him, which he found amusing since she _had_ invited him into her home. "There's no way! All of the Uzumakis' died in the Second Shinobi World War!"

Kenshin felt his heart clench with the memory of his clans members that had loyally died for the sake of their Village. "Seals are capable of anything, girl." He crossed his arms, if anyone around actually knew him; they would be able to tell that Kenshin only crossed his arms when in an uncomfortable situation. Like right then.

Tsunami swallowed thickly in her throat. "I-Is that why you haven't aged?"

Kenshin winced before dangerously narrowing his eyes. "How do you know all of this? How do you know I wasn't fourteen at that time?" Alert bells were chiming in his ears.

"By . . . By, uhh, Yamanashi Masami . . ."

You know how people say that when you hear something so shocking that you felt like your heart just stops, as if the oxygen was sucked out from your lungs? Kenshin staggered backward at the familiar name and grimaced when the edge of the countertop dug into his lower-back. _Masami . . ._

**_ . . . _**_Soft laughter run in his ears, the gently melody soothing down his usual haywire nerves. The lights of the apartment were off, but the curtain to their right had been swept open, allowing moonlight to beam and provide a dim source of light. _

_ Kenshin was propped up on his elbow, a sheet sliding against his bare side and skin. His other hand was brushing a stray black curly away from his wife's still slightly flushed face from what they had just accomplished. A thin coat of sweat gathered at her collarbone and Kenshin grinned at her with a taunting expression. "What can you say now, Masami, huh? Where's the sneer and comment of 'virginal inexperience'?" _

_ She made a face. "Shut up and kiss me." _

_ He chuckled before shifting his weight, using his forearm to now brace himself above her. Kenshin leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss against her lips, sighing blissfully in his mind as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her chest pressed against his. "I could get used to this y'know," he mumbled against her lips, his mouth beginning to curl into a smirk._

_ "Don't get cocky, Uzumaki . . ."_

_ "Oh, we just got plenty of cocky, Masami. Like three minutes ago." Kenshin laughed lightly as she blushed. Dating for a year and a half and teasing Masami was still as fun as he had first met her in Kaizen and Aiko's Bar. "Oh, did I make little Masami-Chan blush like a schoolgirl? And I thought we were adults too – Ow!" He swore vividly when she grabbed his hair and jerked his head. "Owie. Honey, that was awfully rude."_

_ "You're rude!"_

_ "Your ability at conjuring inspiring comebacks at the moment astounds me. I congratulate you." Kenshin snickered when she stuck her tongue out at him, her nose still centimeters away since her arms were currently still looped around his neck. His dark blue eyes softened. "You're beautiful, you know that, right?"_

_ She kissed him and made a point of wrapping her legs back around his waist, which he knew she was beginning to enjoy since she came to find what occurred each time she did so afterwards. "I've been told a few times, by several different men."_

_ "Oh? Did those several different men do this?" _

_ No words could describe the harmony noise that followed thereupon . . ._

_ . . . _Kenshin pursed his lips and leaned back, trying to swallow down the fact that when Tsunami said Masami, she hadn't said Uzumaki Masami, but rather _Yamanashi_ Masami.

It had been a fact that Kenshin knew he would have had to come to terms with. An hour before Masaru had begun the process of conducting the Confinement Seal; he had practically paced his legs strained about how he could live with the fact that Masami would more than likely have a husband . . . and kids. Kids she had always wanted. It was ironic, really, how Kenshin had never wanted children. _Ever_. He felt uncomfortable around them, and just liked to avoid the giggles and drooling face as much as he can. But Masami adored them, adored their screaming, chaotic ways. It seemed that Kami had granted her wish, even if it had been with loss and pain.

"Wow," Kenshin closed his eyes and took in a deep breath; gradually exhaling so his mind would slow down and think rationally. "I'm actually taking this better than I had expected. It's not every day you wake up eleven years under a Seal and find out that your wife is thirty-five, with kids and a _husband_ no less."

Tsunami looked heartbroken as if she had just read this in a poorly-written romance novel. "B-But she told me that you told her to find a husband and kids afterwards . . ."

"Yeah, she also told me it was cliché." Kenshin eyed the faded wooden floor before darting his eyes to the other male in the room. "I'm sure your confused, Tazuna-San –"

"Confused! I just found out that the man I brought to my home is a fucking Uzumaki! The _Sixth_ Seal of Uzushio! I am more than confused!"

Kenshin's eyebrows quirked upwards. "You know of me?"

"Well," Tazuna ran a hand through his streaked hair, "I'm old enough to remember the legendary Fūinjutsu master of Uzushio. I mean, people used to tell stories of your accomplished battles."

Kenshin frowned at that. He had no idea. It wasn't as if he wanted fame as a Shinobi, he did what he could accomplish skillfully in battle and that was that. What could people possibly tell in stories about him? '_Oh! He used a storage seal saturated of water since he could sense electrical frequencies in the air. Unleashing it, the liquid and discharges clashed and a whole battalion of Suna-nin were electrified until their meat was all nice and crispy, yum.' _He shook his head at his own thoughts, he needed sleep, badly.

He flicked his eyes downwards slightly to see Tsunami eyeing him tearfully. "I-I think you should know, Uzumaki-san, that – ugh, Masami is here."

Kenshin felt his insides grow cold, yet somehow his heart burned and began beating far faster than normal. "Where?" He demanded, but then fell short from walking towards the doorway from where he had entered. He couldn't just go barging and taking Masami away, she was a grown woman, happily married, with _kids_. "Ugh, _fuck_," he growled.

Tazuna glared at him for swearing vividly in front of his daughter, but nonetheless glided out one of the metal chairs and perched himself heavily atop with a sigh. "Well, I don't know about you, but I am famished. Tsunami, dear, would you care to heat up some leftover _Yakitori _from dinner last night?"

Tsunami brightened instantly at the mentioning of food. Kenshin dragged out his own dining table chair and slumped on it as he glowered. He really wished Tsunami wouldn't hum as she got out the leftovers, or that she wouldn't pull her long hair back with a ribbon that had been tied around her wrist. Kenshin knew without delay that Masami must have taught Tsunami how to cook.

He immediately took a cup of Sake from Tazuna as he poured them a drink, chugging it down his throat while disregarding that familiar pleasurable scorch it left. "Ahh, Kami, almost forgot what Sake tasted like. Tazuna, this is good stuff, where'd you get it?"

"Ta no Kuni (Land of Rice Fields)," Tazuna spoke proudly as he held up his white, cylinder-shaped cup to clink together with Kenshin's.

He poured himself another round before granting cheers with a small grunt, taking another, alcohol-induced drink. "Best place to get it, huh? It's nice."

"Thanks, Uzumaki. And please – take off that crap you're wearing, you're making me sweat just by looking at you."

Kenshin began undoing his red Jounin vest, allowing it to slide off his shoulders. The undershirt he was wearing was long-sleeved and dark blue, a large crimson spiral printed on his torso. He carefully tugged off his boots stretched out his legs with a pained grimace, his sore muscles contracted uncomfortable while he attempted to loosen his tense tendons. "So, Tazuna-San, as you have received, I've been idle for the last eleven years – would you please tell me what's happened since then? Spare me on the details for now."

Tazuna took another guzzle of booze in his hand. "Well, for one, the Second Shinobi World War ended about a year after Uzushio was knocked off the grid," Kenshin visibly winced at those words. "During that time, Konoha has risen in famed ninja I tell ya, that's a place nobody wants to tussle with."

Kenshin leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. "Really? Who?"

"Densetsu no Sannin, the Legendary Three Ninja. They received their nickname from Hanzō, that Salamander guy, during a skirmish with Amegakure. I don't know much about it, really, but their names our: Senju Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru. The Tsunade woman," Tazuna winked and whispered dramatically, "is _hot_. She's known as the world's greatest medical-nin and can summon slugs!" The older man made an "Atta!" sound when Tsunami suddenly whacked him in the head with a spoon, scowling at his crude behavior toward the female race.

Kenshin rolled his eyes. "And the other two?"

"This Jiraiya can summon Toads and the other one can summon Snakes."

"Is that all that occurred in the Second war?"

Tazuna poured himself another drink, also doing a courteous deed of replenishing Kenshin's as well. "Nah, there's this other guy, Hatake Sakumo. He's known as the Konoha no Shiroi Kiba(Konoha's White Fang). Got his moniker from Raiton Jutsu and some type of blade, I think. To sum it up, Konoha, Ame, Iwa, and Suna kicked each other ass until the armistice treaty was formed."

"Wow," Kenshin said leisurely. "Y'know who formed it?"

"Nah, Nami wasn't involved in the war, I didn't pay much attention."

A plate of steaming, barbeque flavored skewered chicken was placed in front of him, as well another bottle of Sake. The chicken was placed on a bed of spiced rice, which was causing drool to pool on Kenshin's tongue. He groaned as he took his first bite. "Tsunami-San this is amazing." He chewed gradually as if he could savor each flavor that rolled across his tongue.

She beamed with delight at his statement as she gathered her own plate and sat across from him, beside her father. Tsunami placed her hands together and bowed, "Itadakimasu," before grabbing her chopsticks and eating a clump of white rice.

Kenshin frowned. "How much time did you spend with Masami, Tsunami?" He already knew the answer to that, really.

She swallowed her food. "After – ugh – well, Masami had made good friends with my mother, but Kaa-San had refused to tell Masami about her cancer because she didn't want to be treated with pity. So, um, after my mom died when I was five, and after a year of Masami living here, she kind of taught me how to cook, clean, write, read, all of that stuff."

"Like a mother would," he smiled fondly. "She had kids? Plural?"

"Three. Rino, Tina, and . . . K-Kenshin."

He felt himself stiffen in his seat and suddenly food didn't sound too appealing anymore. Kenshin balanced his elbow on the table and leant forward into his hand, covering his misted eyes as he sucked in a tight breath. "To be expected," he croaked. "D-Do you mind if I sleep here for the night?"

"Of course not," Tazuna was looking at him with pity.

Tsunami brushed her hands off on the sides of her dress before standing. "I'll show you to the guest's room. Follow me." She gently took his elbow and steered him a set of stairs toward a shut room at the end of the hallway. "This is one of the bigger bedrooms, there's a private bathroom and Tsubasa-nii-san should have some extra clothes in those drawers." The room was wide, completely with a full bed, a set of dressers, and a desk at the corner in front of some horizontal slider windows.

"Thank you," Kenshin whispered.

Tsunami gave his arm a brief, comforting squeeze before leaving him to walk with grief toward the bathroom. He stripped to his boxers and stared at himself in front of the mirror above the small sink. His chest, stomach, back, and arms were littered with black swirls, signaling the Confinement Seal that had been drawn on his skin. He hadn't thought that it would be permanent, but that it didn't surprise him that it was. Most high-Ranked Seals that were conducted would be perennial against most surfaces.

Ridding himself of his boxers and turning on the shower, Kenshin stepped under the scalding water and sighed with rapture. Despite his love for the ocean, there was nothing like hot water sinking into afflicted muscles. Washing his hair and applying soap to his skin, Kenshin stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, searching through the dressers that belonged to Tsubasa.

He found a pair of black pants and a grey long-sleeve shirt before he hit the bed, not even bothering to lift the covers over him before sleep embraced his hazy mind.

* * *

**Hi no Kuni – Black River – 0930 Hours**

It was nearly three in the morning when Uzumaki Kenshin had declared that he should leave Nami no Kuni. His chest felt very heavy when he departed from the place where he knew Masami was situated, all he wanted to do was to hug her and just tell her how much he would miss her. But he knew he could not do that.

Kenshin walked languidly along the bank of the Black River, which was a branch of an extensive stream that ran all the way through Kawa no Kuni (Land of Rivers), and even along the borders of Suna. It was open around the river, giving him room to walk and enjoy the sights of the sunny sky and healthy grass.

. . . And also giving him the excruciating time to think.

When you're alone with the peaceful silence of nature, it allowed your mind wonder to subjects that you had purposely avoiding. Uzushio was destroyed . . . But did any other survivors escape? With a sense of dread, Kenshin knew wistful believing was useless and pathetic of him. But there had to be some survivors, Iwa was _good_, but they weren't that good.

Like a light bulb shattering into sparks of electricity, Kenshin felt his dark, cloudy eyes brighten with realization. Kushina! How could he forget about his niece, the second Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune? He grinned outwardly and felt hope beginning to leak back into his system. This, this was good. This was really good. _Wait_ – holy _shit_! Kushina was what . . . she was twenty-four right now!

Kenshin was about to; well he thought about it, yell with joy – but a movement to the left of his vision halted him for doing so.

A group of men and women, about four in number, stumbled out of the foliage. Kenshin's eyes narrowed when he saw the Konoha Hitai-tae's tied around in their respective places: shoulder, forehead, neck, or even as to wear it as a belt. They were littered with scratches and even minor wounds that would quickly become lethal if they didn't seek out medical services. Their facial expressions mirrored fatigue and pain, as well as fear and even anger, which were directed at the man at the front of the four-cell group.

Kenshin was also a Shinobi, so he knew well that he couldn't just start waving and yelling out, "_Ohayo, Leaf-ninjaaaasss_!" because they would more than likely attempt to cut off his limbs, which wouldn't be good, since he was partially weak at the moment. Kenshin, instead, stuffed his hands into his 'borrowed' black trousers and waved a lazy hand as one of them finally took notice of him, saying casually, "Lovely morning isn't it?"

The leader, the one who had been the target of the angry stares, scrutinized him with obsidian narrowed eyes. Kenshin had easily toned down his chakra source (Uzumaki have large chakra reserves, most leveling Kage-level) to that of a civilian, making his posture relaxed and uncaring. But he also knew better, these Shinobi could probably tell he was a Shinobi, but they wouldn't mention anything in case he was an enemy, because he would more than likely 'attack' – inward scoff – them in their weakened state.

But Kenshin was also a sight for sore eyes. Fiery crimson hair that went every direction, dark blue eyes, mild tan skin, he was effortlessly an Uzumaki poster boy. And by the way the leader's eyes widened for the briefest of seconds, he was distinguished as an Uzumaki poster boy suspect. Which he was okay with, maybe this guy could lead him to Kushina . . .

. . . Or to an interrogation room in Konoha, which sounded violently 'fun' in its own right.

He took his time to study the leader, whose back was now as stiff as a wooden board. He was almost six feet, five-nine or five-ten, he wasn't sure. The man looked to be in his early to mid-thirties, at least. He had spiky, silver-colored hair with bangs that hung over his forehead protector and a ponytail that reached into the middle of his back. He wore a standard Konoha-nin uniform complete with a pair of gloves, green flak jacket, bandages on his right arm, and the addition of distinctive short white sleeve which had red edges and the standard crest of Uzushiogakure on it, which didn't surprise Kenshin. He also carried a holster worn diagonally over his right shoulder which held, what looked strangely like a white Tanto.

"Who are you?" The leader asked quietly, reserved as he attempted to seem intimidating though failed horribly when Kenshin smiled politely.

"The names Kenshin, ninja-san. And may I say that your team looks . . . tired. How long have you all been travelling?"

The leader tensed at that question and gained a guarded expression. "That's classified."

"Hmmm," Kenshin hummed as if he wasn't really interested. "Well, are you travelling back to Konoha? That's where I am headed as well."

The only female Kunoichi in the group snarled and palmed a kunai so fast that Kenshin had trouble following her movement. "What's your intention, scum? I'm a sensor ninja, you bastard, stop playing innocent like a bigot!" By the purple colored triangles on her cheeks and the wolf-sized dog by her side, she could be easily distinguished into a certain clan from Konoha.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow before allowing a brief chuckle to flow through the air. "If you insist, Konoha Kunoichi." He released his chakra and examined as they all tensed at his reserves. "I mean no harm to your home, there is just someone that I am hopeful to see again, that is all."

A tall boy, who looked only to be seventeen, six feet in height, shifted his feet into a relaxed stance, as if he recognized Kenshin as an ally and not a threatening enemy. "You are an Uzumaki." Despite Kenshin knowing that they probably would recognize his poster boy qualities, he was still surprised that someone would be blunt about it. But then again, Uzushio and Konoha were founders, and inveterate accomplices.

Kenshin gifted them with a knowing smile as he tugged at his crimson red hair. "How did you know? I swore I did everything to keep you from detecting my heritage."

The same man who declared his bloodline smirked wryly. "Well you kind of look just like Kushina." As the man spoke, Kenshin noticed certain aspects on his person. Mainly the most distinct feature was the weal-like scar on his face, running across the bridge of his nose and down across the left side of his face. Seeing the duration of it though, Kenshin could easily see that it had been there before he was even graduated as a Shinobi of Konoha.

"My name is Hatake Sakumo, Jounin of Konoha, registration 007339" the leader finally affirmed his identity, determining that he seemingly felt no hostile aura around the redheaded man.

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. He recalled Tazuna's words, _'Nah, there's this other guy, Hatake Sakumo. He's known as the Konoha no Shiroi Kiba(Konoha's White Fang). Got his moniker from Raiton Jutsu and some type of blade, I think.' _

_ Well look at that, _he mused silently with amusement.

The Kunoichi, who was being supported by an enraged looking man, muttered, "Inuzuka Tsubaki, Jounin of Konoha, registration 007657."

The scarred man raised a hand, "Namiashi Raidō, Tokubetsu Chunin of Konoha, registration 009717." The Uzumaki smiled at the 'special' part of the presentation. Special High Chunin? Elite, huh? That's interesting . . .

After the third member's introduction, there was a shaky, strained silence following exactly after. Kenshin saw Sakumo giving the fourth member, the man supporting Tsubaki, a guilty glare. "Ryo, present yourself."

Said 'Ryo' sneered and Kenshin saw the Inuzuka woman grimace when his arm tightened around her back. "Why should I even listen to you, Hatake? When we return home, you're going to be demoted lower than a _Genin_." Kenshin raised his eyebrows at the aggression and resentment fluctuating through the air like thick smoke before his eyes narrowed in thought. The mission they had been sent on obviously went wrong, and like always, the leader was to be blameworthy.

Sakumo stiffened, "I am your Captain on this mission, Ryo. Now _present yourself_." The words quickly shifted from guilty to harshness, causing the anger inspired man to psychically flinch and scowl sourly.

"Takashi Ryo, Jounin of Konoha, registration 011013." The man gritted out between his teeth, angling his face away from Kenshin.

Kenshin approached them with friendly intentions, a smile adorning his face. "Now," his eyes surveyed the wounds they had received on the 'classified' mission. "Does anyone know Medical Ninjutsu?"

Ryo sighed before nodding his head once. "I do, but I am depleted of chakra."

"That's good. That is why I asked, actually. Any of you have a brush, some ink, and a vacant tag?" Kenshin strolled a little ways toward Tsubaki and looked at the injury along her upper-thigh, which was crusted with a rusty brown and still dripping with fresh blood. "Oh, dear. How'd this happen to you, sweetheart?" She certainly _looked_ like a capable Kunoichi and an Inuzuka no less.

The wolf-like ninken, who was the color of mahogany that matched the auburn color of the woman's hair, growled at him, ears flattening as it blinked ebony eyes in his direction. "Heel, Kaia." Tsubaki sent a stern glance at her partner, glaring until the female dog backed away, though still circled her tail around her master's ankle. Tsubaki revolved her menacing gaze to Kenshin at calling her 'sweetheart'. "Rock clipped me on the side," she muttered.

He nodded his thanks when Sakumo supplied a blank tag and brush with ink, gesturing for Ryo to set her on the ground gently. "A rock clipped you on the side, hmm? Perhaps something like **Doton: Ganchūrō no Jutsu** (Earth Release: Earth Pillar Prison)?" He winked when she gained a mystified expression, her eyes flickering to Sakumo with panic. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I know you all came from Iwa, you smell like dust and dirt, surely you know that?"

Tsubaki flushed uncharacteristically and mumbled, "I've been distracted . . ."

Kenshin began conducting a seal against the tag as he quirked a finger at Ryo. "Give me your hand." Finishing the kanji for Chakra, he smoothly arranged the tag above Ryo's wrist and gently touched the paper with his index and middle finger. "**Tensō chakurashīru: Akutibu** (Transfer Chakra Seal: Activate)." The elegant writing of the Seal glowed a luminous blue before the ink sunk through the paper and into the skin of the Jounin's hand.

Raidō was gaping in awe. "S-so you're an Fūinjutsu Master?"

Kenshin stilled before chuckling wistfully. "Yeah, they seem to be more uncommon these days, eh?" The same pain that lingered in his chest clutched at his heart. "The Chakra Transfer Seal is straightforward. The user of the Seal can receive conveyable chakra." Kenshin watched as Ryo went through hand seals. Modified Ox → Tiger. His hand glimmered a dim, weak blue. "A little warning, Ryo-san, my chakra is far more potent than most Shinobi's. I do have the Uzumaki bloodline for special chakra, just like little Kushina."

Kenshin placed his palm at the centermost of Ryo's back and observed solemnly as his hand glowed a brilliant, shady white. Though the color held a golden tint, he felt Ryo gasp and stiffen underneath his hand. But then he smiled as he began to heal Tsubaki's wound, the anger that had been prior evaporating. "I've only heard rumors of Kushina-san's Chakra Chains, but I had never felt it to be . . . this overpowering."

"Ooooh? Chakra Chains, neh? That sneaky little girl, she's just trying to grow up like her Uncle, she is!"

Sakumo had his arms crossed across his chest, studying the scene with interest. "Uncle? How old are you, Kenshin-san?"

"Physically? Twenty-five. Realism? Thirty-six." Sensing their confusion, Kenshin shrugged and provided Ryo with a bust of chakra. "It's a long and very uncomfortable story. The Sandaime Hokage still reigning?"

"Yeah." Tsubaki grinned with bliss at the feeling of her skin mending back together. "Fifty-five and still killing."

Raidō frowned, "I thought it was 'still kicking' not 'still killing'."

Tsubaki, her natural dog-like slitted eyes, cut to his. "We're Shinobi, Raidō, honey. You, a known Assassin, should have caught the joke."

"Yeah, well, as a known Assassin, we tend to not pick up on jokes, since we are usually busy with assassinating and stuff."

She bristled. "Did you just retaliate my joke with sarcasm, you little bastard?!"

"That I did, you old hag!"

* * *

**_Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato – West Wing; Uzumaki Compound – 2130 Hours_**

_ "Ooooooohh, Kushi-Chaaaaannnnnnnnnn ~ I'll find you, you little cheeky brat!" Masaru's light, playful tone rung out through the west section of the Uzumaki Manor, causing Kushina to instinctively hide her giggles into the palms of her hands. She, eight years old, couldn't believe that she was playing the childhood game she had grown up with. It wasn't Ninja Tag, but an ordinary play of Hide-N-Seek. She hadn't played this since she was nearly a toddler, or so she had been told._

_ Kushina pulled her knees tighter against her chest, grinning like a cat. _

_ "Come out, come out, wherever you aaaaaarrreeee ~"_

_ From inside the wardrobe dresser, Kushina peeked through the crack of the two long, rosewood doors that we slightly parted open from her body being stuffed inside. Through the crevice, she saw her Uncle's unmade bed; his dark grey convers strung all over in wrinkles heaps. She saw the bookshelf to the far left, which was littered with scrolls and other misplaced items like brushes and scribbled tags. There was a nightstand to the right of the bed; the lamp sitting upon it was on, creating a dull light around the darkened room. _

_ She jarred open the door enough to poke her head out, checking around for any sounds of footsteps or creaking in the floorboards. When hearing no such, Kushina opened the doors and slipped soundlessly onto the cold, winter planks of the floor. _

_ . . . The door behind her, a little to her left, swung open with smokes of steam following after, following by a tired yawn. Kushina wanted to cower and slap herself. She had been so excited, that she had forgotten whose room she was in, and hadn't even heard him in the shower!_

_ She rotated her head to see Kenshin running a hand through his dark crimson hair, which was drenched and heavily mussed around his head. He was only wearing a pair of boxers, which much to her giggles, were baby blue and decorated with multi-colored fishies. A towel draped over his shoulders, Kushina flushed brightly when his eyes trained on hers. "Ehh? Kush –"She darted forward and pushed him backwards into the bathroom, which was a very difficult task, considering he had a good three feet on her, as well as muscles. _

_ "Shhh!" She shushed him, disregarding his annoyed face as he was forced to lean against the bathroom's counter as she slapped a hand over his mouth. "I'm playing hide-N-seek with Masaru-nii!" She whispered fiercely. "He'll find me!"_

_ Kenshin reached up and curled his index finger around her wrist, tugging enough to where she was forced to let go. "Well, he probably heard the commotion. And he's probably on his way now," he grinned cheekily._

_ "Well you probably should hide me!" Kushina, in all of her panicking fears, threw her arms around his hips and clung. "Please, please, please! H-He'll tickle me! Please, Ken-nii!" _

_ Kenshin blew out a sigh, which irritated her; as if he was making a huge decision that could possible create devastation to the world. " . . . Alright, I guess I could . . ." He sent chakra to his finger and carefully drew a Seal along her forehead, murmuring 'activation' underneath his breath. "It will hide your chakra, or at least melt it down enough to where he thinks it's mine, now come on, sweetheart!" He wrapped an around her middle and hoisted her up, practically dropping her in the bathtub before turning on the shower._

_ Kushina couldn't help but let out a tiny squeal as hot water invaded her dry skin, her feet slipping beneath her as she sputtered. Kenshin was eyeing her with obvious enjoyment, the twenty year-old's mouth twisted in a wide grin. He grabbed a bottle above his head, on a small ledge made for washing products, and poured the soap over her head and all over. He washed into her hair as she glared at him with malice. "What?" He asked innocently. "I'm helping you blend in with the environment, that's one of the ten sacred ninja rules y'know –"Kushina cut him off my grabbing his ankle, causing his whole body to fall backwards and his head to smack against the faucet. "Fuck!" He shouted._

_ "Kenshin?" The door slammed open and Masaru's silhouette could be seen from the source of light in the bathroom. "You alright, bro?"_

_ Kushina hunkered down into the tub and sent a pitiful glance at Kenshin._

_ "U-Ugh yea," Kenshin recovered and struggled to stand back up. "Stupid, bratty soap bars causing me to fall all the time," her oldest Uncle sent her a scalding glare. "We should just get rid of them; all they do is cause trouble."_

_ Kushina stuck her tongue out at him._

* * *

**Hi no Kuni – Konohagakure no Sato; Shopping District – 1830 Hours**

Uzumaki Kushina huffed soundly and crossed her arms just below her chest. "But Minato-Kuuuun . . . This is my day off, you _know_ I like my days off." And she felt as if she really needed it. Despite getting a good night's sleep, almost ten hours in fact, she still felt as if her feet were lead and her head weighed a ton. Missions had been pouring out from everywhere lately, so really, as a Jounin, she regularly had to leave.

Minato grabbed her hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. "I know, Kushina. It's just that 'kashi wanted –"

"Correction. I didn't want anything. You dragged yourselves along." Hatake Kakashi, Chunin at eleven years-old, glared at his teammates, sensei, and red-headed Jounin. "I just wanted to make sure Tou-san was okay . . ."

"That's why we're coming too, Kakashi-Kun!" Rin quipped enthusiastically before withering underneath her teammates glare, hiding behind Minato's leg as she blushed bright pink.

"Hey, don't ya glare at her ya bastard!" Obito went to tackle Kakashi to the dirt ground, but Kushina intervened by grabbing the Uchiha's ear. "_Ah_! Ow, ow, _ow_! Kushina-baa-san, why you do this?"

"One, don't you dare ever call me old, you little brat!" Kushina glowered dangerously as she jerked on the appendage. "And second, I'm holding your ear because you're a little brat!"

When he was finally released, Obito also hid behind Minato's other leg, sulking at Kushina's cranky wrath. It wasn't her fault that she just wanted to cuddle with her Minato-kun and fall into a deep sleep. It wasn't as if she asked for much. She glanced around the Shopping District, noting the kids running around, the laughing and mingling parents, the bright sun and cloudless sky.

She sighed when they neared the massive Gate of Konoha, the large walls encompassing the Village Hidden in the Leaves all the way around. She smirked when she noticed Genma, a senbon balancing in his mouth as he leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on the desk as he slumbered away. So much for being on guard/desk duty. Beside him, Uchiha Yakumi was wide awake and staring impassively ahead, though he would subtly shoot disgusted glances at his dozing comrade.

Kushina promptly stalked over and slapped her hand against the desk, watching with amusement as the fifteen year-old Chunin stammered out something like, "_I didn't dye your boxers!_" as he shot up and glanced around with frantic eyes. She snickered and turned to look back at Minato and explain to him that she changed her mind, that hearing Genma say that was worth it . . .

. . . but something gnawing at her prevented so. She turned toward the forest of Konoha just as Hatake Sakumo shunshined in front of them, but his face was sullen and also very, very guilty. Namiashi Raidō followed, and then Takashi Ryo with Inuzuka Tsubaki propped on his back. Kaia, her ninken, was swiftly at her master's heels.

And then . . . And then . . .

Kushina almost felt her knees give out in pure shock, the sight before her like the so-many dreams she had had of her old home. Of Uzushio. There was just no way . . . would s-she have known? She would have known!

Uzumaki Kenshin raised a hand in greeting as his eyes never strayed from hers, locks of red hair falling in his eyes. "Hey, sweetheart, long time no see, right?"


	3. Nobility and Selfishness

**_The Testament of True Warriors – _**_Nobility and Selfishness_

**_Uzu no Kuni – Uzushiogakure no Sato – Annual Festival – 2000 Hours_**

_Kenshin was enjoying the twilight that coated the sky in orange and violet purple, stars beginning to reveal themselves through the haze of multicolor. He could hear the chatter and conversations of almost the whole village around him, who had all gathered at the family park that was located in front of the Uzukage Tower. Kids were running around, playing tag and capture the flag while their parents kept one eye on them. The incense of grilling and skewered foods filled his nose, which was comforting after the mission he had just returned from, where all you ate was cardboard ration bars._

_ Though there were picnic tables and even knitted blankets spread around, seventeen year-old Kenshin had positioned himself on the ground, on his bag, arms behind his head as he peered up at the florid dusk sky. He had changed out of his ANBU Captain uniform, now wearing casual black knee-length shorts and a red tee-shirt. He wanted a day of relaxing, no killing, hell, maybe he could even drift off to sleep right here . . ._

_ "KEN-KUUUUUUUNNNN!" "NII-CCHHAAAAANNNNN!"_

_ Or maybe not._

_ Two presences plopped down on either side of him, and his peaceful vision was now obscured by the curtain drapes of one redhead and one brunette that grinned cheekily at his slightly annoyed face. "Kenshin-kun! We've been looking everywhere for you? Where have you been, huh?" Kumiko got inches from his face, dark blue eyes glittering with mischievousness, and was that nervousness? Why was she anxious?_

_ "Avoiding you," he muttered._

_ "Oh, so cruel," Masaru gasped dramatically. Kenshin widened his eyes when his little brother grabbed his wrist from behind his head and jerked him into a sitting position. "Come on, you gotta come with us, quick!" He was now tugged into a standing position, forceful steps driving him forward._

_ Kenshin halted in all movements, causing Kumiko and Masaru to nearly fall back from the momentum. "Why?"_

_ "It's important!"_

_ "Tell me why first."_

_ "We have no time!"_

_ "We have plenty of time."_

_ Kumiko hissed, "Just trust us. It's important!"_

_ "I'm not idiotic enough to trust you." Kenshin was no fool. He remained standing still as Kumiko and Masaru shared a long, desperate stare._

_ "Okay, fine," Kumiko threw her hands up in the air. "We dared Emiko to crawl down the side of Michishio, and well . . . She was going to use chakra with her chakra, cause, _y'know_, we had heard all the Jounin do it as a challenge. But the tides are really high this season, and ugh, she's stuck."_

_ Masuro continued, "And so she's sticking with chakra on one spot, because if she tried to move, and a wave hits her, she'll probably hit the cliff . . . umm, or the rocks underneath. Look, it was a silly, silly dare. I didn't know –"_

_ "You're an idiot," Kenshin rolled his eyes and began marching steadily to the left. "And you ask me to trust the both of you. What a joke."_

_ Masuro pouted. "Ken, I –"_

_ "Be responsible for your actions, Uzumaki Masuro!" Kenshin did not want to use this authoritative voice against his own sibling, but the hardness in his tone was clear. He was upset, though. "You are now a Chunin, both of you," his eyes pierced into their guilty ones, "act like it – or I will write both of you an extension for insubordination." _

_ Kumiko's face twisted into a frustrated one, her hand reaching out and touching Kenshin's tense shoulder. "Oh, come on, Kenshin. She's a Genin, I hardly call that insubordination."_

_ "Exactly." Kenshin jerked his shoulder away and continued walking headlong into the crowds of gathered villagers. "She's a Genin. You both should give some obligation into everything you do. You dared a Genin something that only Jounin do. What the fuck is wrong with you?"_

_ "I'm sorry," Masuro mumbled sulkily._

_ "I wanted to relax for one day," Kenshin's eyes darkened into storm clouds. "Can you not give me one day?"_

_ "Relax! We were all in on it. Even Emiko. Now shut up and go help her." Kumiko finally lost her temper, red in the face, hands clenched into fist. "Stop making this all about you, you selfish bastard!"_

_ "Kumiko! Don't call my brother that!"_

_ "You were just arguing with him!"_

_ "Yeah, but he's not selfish!"_

_ Kenshin closed his eyes. You are wrong, Masuro._

* * *

**Hi no Kuni – Konohagakure no Sato – Gate – 1830 Hours**

Maybe Kenshin had been naïve enough to convince himself that his relative would have welcomed him back with a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek like she had done as a child, but when a fist hammered into his nose, he really shouldn't have been shocked like his expression made him to be.

Kushina sure was grown. She was a full five foot four, only rising to his chest, with red hair so long that it reached the back of her knees in length. Even though he knew she was a Kunoichi – judging by the strength of her hand – she was wearing civilian clothing. She was wearing a sleeveless blue blouse with a tan-colored loose dress that fell just below her knees. His eyes softened when he saw the dark blue wristband that the family had presented her when she had graduated Uzushio Academy. With a pair of black Shinobi sandals, his little niece looked like a beautiful woman.

Kenshin felt himself fall backwards on his back, a hand instinctively coming up to cover his bloody nose as he spat crimson liquid at the ground. "That was totally unnecessary . . ." He slowly trailed off when he saw the tears brimming Kushina's eyes, which he noticed had faded to a dark violet instead of blue like his. He almost smiled; those were her mother's eyes.

"Who are you?!" She screamed in outrage, about to attack him until Hatake Sakumo intervened, catching Kushina by the waist as she began wailing with enragement. Kenshin could tell she was angry, furious, and the killing intent she was unleashing almost made him proud. "You're not Kenshin! Imposter! Minato – Minato do s-something!"

Kenshin stumbled back up into a stand. "Kushina, screaming like a banshee isn't very Kunoichi-like. I thought I taught you better than that," he spoke casually, though anyone close could hear the slight emotional quiver in his voice. He took a step forward, perhaps to embrace her into a whole hug – but someone positioned themselves between the Shinobi and Kunoichi.

Though Kenshin had a few inches on the male in front of him, the man was intimidating by his own rights. With spiky blond hair and icy blue eyes, he carefully held out a hand in a polite yet calm manner. Kenshin noted that his stance was relaxed, and a Shinobi in a relaxed stance was never a good thing for the opposing person it was directed to. "She's obviously lost and confuse, I ask that you give her room to breathe."

Kenshin blinked. "We are outside, boy. I am positive that anyone can breathe out here, there's no space out here for 'room'." He tilted his head to the side and grinned. "Unless you're her boyfriend. Are you her boyfriend? Oh my, I wish Masaru was present, by the time when he would be done with you, there would be no room left in _your lungs_ to breathe."

A hue of pink flushed in the man's cheeks, which caused Kenshin joy. "Ahh, you are, this is so –"He was suddenly cut off when a chain of chakra entered his vision and he shot out a hand, grabbing the chain and jerking his hand forward. "Sweetheart, I know I taught you strategy, so here you go – you got this ability from _me_, which technically signifies that, well," he eye-smiled, "I'm better than you."

A flash of brilliant light startlingly blinded his eyes and strong fingers coiled around his wrist, and Kenshin felt his body once again lying back-first into the ground. "You Konoha ninja seem to have a thing for getting people on their asses," he muttered. "Geez, and all I want to do is sleep."

"You're _not_ Kenshin!" Kushina was freely crying now, astounding the three little kids that had silently been observing. It was obvious that Kushina had gained Tousen's tough demeanor, her crying must have been very, very rare for them to have surprised expressions. "Masami told me he died!"

"He's not a threat, Minato." Sakumo said, ignoring Kushina's desperate banter as he held onto her, his sleeved arm wrapped underneath the woman's shoulders to stop her from doing anything reckless.

Suddenly, a huge, intense weight fell into the area as if gravity was pushing down on them. Kenshin violently choked and began coughing, his eyes widening at the man that was walking toward them, the white and red robes blowing lightly in the wind from a short breeze. Sarutobi Hiruzen looked slightly aged, with grey hair and brown eyes. This man was nothing short of a legend. There were ANBU and Jounin behind him, and Kenshin thought maybe that this confrontation was meant for him, but he noticed swiftly that the Sandaime Hokage's eyes were locked with Sakumo's onyx, expecting.

After a thick moment of silence, the Hatake leader lowered his head. "I failed, Hokage-Sama."

Everyone besides Kenshin seemed to freeze with dread, but the spell was soon broken by Hiruzen. "You . . . failed?" His eyes were closed. "How?"

"The information we had received inaccurate, Hokage-Sama. I was forced to choose between the mission, and my comrades," Sakumo did not look sorry as his steel black eyes roamed the sea of faces, "I chose my comrades, Hokage-Sama, and I do not regret it."

Ryo, who had been slowly, very quietly seething, spoke bluntly, "and he started the Third Shinobi World War!"

Kenshin opened his mouth, but then slowly closed it with a snap. _Oh._

* * *

**Hi no Kuni – Konohagakure no Sato – Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force Division – 1900 Hours**

Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Force is a special division within Konohagakure headed by Yamanaka Inoichi, who had kind of attacked Kenshin with a black blindfold. People are often taken here and left in his hands in order to extract information from them through various means. Kenshin was pretty positive it was located in Konohagakure's Intelligence Division, but considering when the Sandaime had token notice of his Uzumaki poster boy's presence, he had immediately gotten a blindfold around his eyes and a silencer seal slapped onto his mouth. They had also stripped him to his boxers, which left him a little uncomfortable, he will admit.

So when he found himself locked onto a metal chair with Chakra Nullifying Cuffs and a horrible smell of metallic tint filling his nose, Kenshin could not be even more laidback by the outcome. He kind of expected something like this.

"Who are you?" A voice asked sternly.

Kenshin could vaguely feel other presences around him, and he smiled widely in return at them. "Why Uzumaki Kenshin, of course. Did the red hair throw you off or something?"

"Almost all Uzumakis' have been killed off by Iwa, _Kenshin_. How exactly are you alive, when the others are not?"

"That's a long, long story, Yamanaka-san. But how about you ask Kushina in the corner over there, she surely recognizes the seals of her father's creation." Kenshin tested the movement of his fingers from the binds of the cuffs, flexing their muscles before sending a blinded stare toward to where his niece was standing. "Well, Kushina? Y'know what, let us make this easier . . . Sweetheart, just ask me something that only _I_ would know?"

He heard a huff, and a gruff voice flow through the room. "As an imposter, you could be receiving memories –"

"I thought that only Yamanaka were capable of such mind abilities," Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "You think very highly of my strengths, if you truly believe that."

"What was the first thing he told me when he first took me on my first dive at Michishio Cliff?" Kushina mumbled out, her voice low and throaty, as if rasped with tears and sadness. Kenshin closed his eyes from behind the blindfold and felt a sorrowful, strained smile replace his sarcastic one.

"Out of all things," he mumbled. "I said, 'It's traditional for Uzumaki to graduate and then come down to take their first dive, so just remember that most of everyone is forced into it so don't blame anyone for broken bones.'" Kenshin finished with a large grin. "And then you went to the hospital with a broken arm for your poorly Genin coordination skills, which earned me a punch from Tousen, by the way – that I _did_ blame you for."

Silence. "What are the seals on his torso for, Kushina-Chan?" The voice belonged to that of Namikaze Minato, who Kenshin had accused of being Kushina's girlfriend. Judging by his tone of voice, he was interested in Seals, which interest usually meant he was efficient in theory.

"As you know, Seals that are imprinted on the skin are usually A-Level or above, the Confinement Seal is right there at S-Level. Hypothetically, the Seal is created for real, living humans. My father believed that someone would eventually come to attack us, which is exactly why he formulated it. The Confinement Seal is supplementary, which means that there are two categories it falls under. Protection and accession. So the Confinement Seal provides security as well as enhances the completion and process of existing seals and arrays." Kushina took in a deep breath. "And . . . And, well, you haft to know that the Seal, any Seal, has a conductor, or a conduit, that is kind of like a bridge between seals that actually manufactures a Seal into working. I don't know what Conduit he used, though . . ."

" . . ." Kenshin began chuckling before allowing his snickers to shift into full-blown laughter. "You, sweetheart, are definitely an Uzumaki at heart. That was a wonderful description, by the way. As you know, there are two sources of conduits. The past and the future, to put it mildly. Masaru only used the future, with purpose, and the Confinement Seal was activated and – boom! Here I am."

A snort echoed in the room. "This is why I never bothered with damn Fūinjutsu, its complicated shit," a snide female voice sneered.

"Complicated but very useful," Minato replied calmly.

"Whatever."

"Silence, Tsunade." The Sandaime spoke sternly. "So, say I believe you . . . this Confinement Seal, I am guessing that it confined you after eleven years? Right at the start of the Third Shinobi World War, is that coincidence?"

_ 'But when you wake up, I want you to go kill those Iwa bastards, show them the true Uzumaki power and reveal to them the Testaments of True Warriors.'_

"I suppose so, unless my brother could read the future, which would have been really convenient considering my family would still be alive." Kenshin blinked and squinted when the blindfold was ripped off, causing light to dilate his pupils before he could adjust. "Ow," he mumbled in complaint. When he could finally analyze his location, Kenshin took notice of the dozen people around the room, eerily watching him.

"Are you really Kenshin?" Kushina was leaning on Minato for support, her face splotched with red from both heartache and salty tears.

He eyed her and finally shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't really matter what I say, does it, sweetheart? You believe what you believe." Even though his tone remained indifferent, his eyes held a desperate plea. Though luckily for him, Kushina was avoiding his gaze. Without a second thought, he watched as Kushina fled the room, closing the door behind her with an audible slam.

"I have no reason not to believe him, Hokage-Sama." Yamanaka Inoichi, now Kenshin noticed, was a young man around Kushina's age. He was perhaps five-foot-ten in height with blond spiky hair, though in a slightly short ponytail, and pupiless blue eyes. He was wearing standard Konoha Jounin gear. "His facial expressions indicated no lies."

"Why didn't you just use your little mind trick on me, Yamanaka-san?" Kenshin inclined his head to the side, wondering.

"Because out of all of the Uzumakis' I have been inside, they seem to be able to resist me enough to disperse the jutsu." Inoichi looked miffed as he spoke, as if he didn't like the fact that anyone could resist the **Shintenshin no Jutsu** (Mind Body Switch Technique). "But I do run the Intelligence Division for a reason; I do not need to unleash a family jutsu just for the sake of a meager interrogation."

Kenshin quickly decided that he liked this man. Inoichi seemed to have a calm and perceptive nature, which was held in favor of his Shinobi career. A ninja who is always level-headed is one of asset, after all. "You sound as if you do not like interrogating, Inoichi-san . . ."

"It's not the most favorable element of my division," he muttered. Inoichi turned to the Sandaime, then, and Kenshin watched with interest as it looked as if a telepathic conversation went through their minds. Finally, the Yamanaka turned back toward the cuffed prisoner. "What are your intentions in Konoha? Do you have any accomplices? Who and what do your loyalties lie to?"

"My intentions are nothing of threatening level; I merely came to see how Kushina is. No, as you know, my clan was wiped off the grid. My loyalties do, and will always lay to the Uzukage and my home, Uzushiogakure no Sato. No disrespect, Sandaime." When Kenshin felt the cuffs suddenly unsnap from his wrist, a sign of relief escaped through his lips.

"I will grant you free passage around my Village, Kenshin-san. But do not think you can do as you please, you will be supervised." The Sandaime Hokage, though he did sound threatening to a degree, lifted his mouth in a crooked smile. Hiruzen reached forward and placed a warm hand on Kenshin's shoulder from where he still sat in the chair. "But it is nice to see another Uzumaki. And going by your name, Mito talked very highly of you."

Kenshin stood up and stretched his legs. "Well I guess some proper introductions could be placed. I'm Uzumaki Kenshin," he shifted his attention to Minato, the man coming closer to where he stood in front of the redhead.

"Namikaze Minato," their hand shake was carefree yet very tense, causing Kenshin to grin widely at his caution.

"The name's The Great Jiraiya, kid, and dontcha forget it!" A hand, unlike the warm pat like Sarutobi had given him, jabbed into the middle of his back, which turned into a one-arm hug by a man that was surprisingly his height. "The Toad Sage Jiraiya of the Sannin!" Jiraiya was a tall man with waist-length, spiky white hair that was tied back into a pony tail, with two shoulder-length bangs that framed both sides of his face. He had crimson red lines that ran down from his eyes and wore a horned forehead protector with the kanji for 'Oil'. He wore a green short shirt kimono and matching pants; under which he wore mesh armor that showed out of the sleeves and legs of his outfit. His outfit was completed with hand guards, a simple black belt, geta sandals, and a red haori with two simple yellow circles on each side.

"A Sannin?" Kenshin felt a smile light up his face. "So you're Jiraiya? And your teammates must be Senju Tsunade and Orochimaru?" His eyes flickered over to the tan woman with sand-color blond hair, her golden eyes glaring at him with a feisty distaste. There was also the man with long ebony black hair, a pale white face, and a pair of yellow-slitted snake-like eyes. "Interesting," he commented.

"Say, say, Kenshin, you're an Fūinjutsu Master, yes?"

"That I am – well, I like to believe that I am."

"Well, me and you – AH! Hime~!" Jiraiya shouted in pain as the woman, who was wearing a white robe of what looked to be Medic-nin attire, grabbed his ear and began dragging the Sannin away, towards the doorway. "Waahhh ~ I wanted to show Kenshin around!"

"No!" Tsunade barked. "You haft to go fix that wall at the Hospital, it's your responsibility."

"_What_?! _You_ punched _me_ through a wall! How in the hell is that my responsibility?!"

"Maybe if you stop staring at my ass every time I turn around we wouldn't have this problem, you baka!"

". . . But you have such a nice ass, Tsunade-Hime . . ."

Orochimaru shook his head in his own pitiful sorrows at having idiotic teammates, trailing after them silently as pained yowls from Jiraiya echoed through the building. Kenshin quirked and eyebrow as the Sandaime as the elder chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly at his prior students. "They're not always like that."

"Been here, done that," Kenshin grinned. "I would, actually, like someone to show me around your Village, Sandaime-Sama, if that is alright with you. I have never personally been here before."

"Yes, yes, I understand. Inoichi-Kun, would you please show Kenshin-San around Konoha, just around the main area will do. And please, clothe yourself before leaving, I don't need anymore bothering paperwork than I already have." The Sandaime Hokage flourished his hat on his head without a 'yes, sir' or 'hell no' response from the Yamanaka, giving them a brief smile before exiting the room. Kenshin had to admit, for the man's age, he walked with prowess and grace, which was a very admiring aspect of a Kage.

Minato and the others that had been present, Kenshin noticed as he redressed, had left long before he had noticed which put Kenshin on edge. Tazuna _had_ said that Konoha had been distinguished with special ninja with unique abilities and quick wits – but to have gone undetected without him noticing, well, it either meant Kenshin downright sucked, or he was still weak from the eleven-year time absent. He chose the latter for the sake of his ego.

Inoichi breathed out a disappointed sigh. He began sliding off his Jounin jacket, allowing it to poof away into a Storage Seal on his right wrist. He now stood in a dark blue jumpsuit, hands shoved in his pants pockets as he slumped back in a careless transgression. "Well, no offense to you, but this was not how I wanted to spend my late evening. Luckily for you," his aqua pupilless slightly lit up, "Konoha is beautiful at night."

_Uzushio was beautiful too. The clouds held no meaning in the land of Uzu no Kuni, the stars were always visible no matter of how rough the weather. The grass never lost its vibrant hue. The air always smelled of aromatic flowers and sea water. _

"Well I just hope they have vendors selling food," Kenshin frowned and finally sighed with defeat. "Free food, anyway." Inoichi sent him a look, but gave no audible response. Kenshin followed the blond man through unknown corridors, judging by the metal sealed doors on either side, he had to guess that this was the interrogation parts of the Intelligence Division. "Say, Inoichi-San, I see that all people among your Division wear uniform, why do you not?"

"I wasn't on duty when you were brought in, so I rushed here. So I guess you can explain my absence to my fiancé." Yamanaka Inoichi sent Kenshin a 'prepare yourself' look. "Maria-Chan is mild-tempered, but man, disturb a woman when she plans dinner out and it's going to feel like _you're_ the roast in the oven."

Kenshin felt a shiver run through his spine but he clamped his mouth shut from a retorting comment. They finally exited the Division and he was met with the populous Konoha Street. "Behind us is the Hospital," Inoichi angled his body and sent an indication of his head toward the large building. "Convenient, I suppose, to have it so close, considering our profession."

"I'm sure that's why the Nidaime stationed it there." Kenshin examined around him, taking in the lamp post and lights that shined uncomfortably in his eyes. It almost made him sigh. Uzushio never had lights, the stars and moon had shone their path, even if that sounded horribly clichéd.

When Inoichi began marching lazily, Kenshin immediately followed. People going on with their daily, routine lives would turn and give him inquisitive expressions. Maybe it was his saddened expression, or his powerful stance – he liked to believe that one, or maybe his uncommon red hair that enticed attention in a crowd. Kenshin paid them no mind, staying in walking sync with Yamanaka Inoichi. He truly did like the Shinobi, even if there was a haze of suspicious haze between them, Kenshin admired the look in his eyes as certain civilians waved at him. Inoichi respected the civilians, it seemed, and he was infinite in protecting them, which was an absolute of true Ninja.

He listened to every word as Inoichi pointed Akimichi restaurants, which was a clan of Ninja that were known for their gift in composing the best meals in Konoha. Inoichi halted in his movements and gestured toward a building. It was large, squished between a shop of some sorts and another restaurant. "This is The Shushuya, me and my two teammates generally come here after missions for a few drinks."

Kenshin laughed lightly underneath his breath, watching as a few Shinobi themselves exited the dimly lit bar/grill. "Inoichi!" A man had sought out the pair and walked over; his posture screamed with such aloofness that Kenshin raised an eyebrow. "Troublesome," he commented after seeing the tall redhead. "You know I went to your place to get you to come get some sake, but to be called off on the job, what a drag. Well at least you got to meet another Uzumaki; I haft to say that's worth it."

Kenshin shifted when a few eyes were then drawn to him from passing wanderers that happened to hear those words. He studied the man before him, who was Inoichi's height. He had dark brown hair that was tied up into a spiky ponytail, small brown eyes small and calculating, and Kenshin saw knowledge hidden there – definitely a strategist, that look reminded him too much of Minoru. He was wearing standard Shinobi pants and sandals, along with a mesh shirt that looked to be just thrown on out of random. Kenshin noticed that there was a ghost of a goatee on his face, as well as his ears were pierced on either side.

The cigarette between his teeth moved as he grinned leisurely, holding out a hand that was slack in grip. "Nara Shikaku, Jounin, registration 005491."

Kenshin took the man's hand, shaking once. "Uzumaki Kenshin. And I must say, I'm almost honored to meet two prestigious Clan Head's in just under an hour."

"Well I'm honored you said 'almost' because if you hadn't, I wouldn't like you," Shikaku blew smoke through his nose and smiled. "I would say, 'Nice to meet you', but by your presence, I assume that a Council meeting will be called in under an hour at best."

"More than likely," Inoichi spoke before clapping his friend on the back. "Give Yoshino a greeting for me. I'll catch you later."

"Troublesome," Shikaku muttered. "Later." He shunshined toward to where Kenshin had to guess was the direction of the Nara Clan Compound.

Inoichi and Kenshin turned down a crowded street and he was guided toward a long building. There was a sign placed on the orange roof, Yamanaka Flower's. He didn't see anyone like this man owning a flower shop, but looks could be deceiving he supposed. The building was yellow in color, with huge puts of plants lining out in front. The arch of the entryway had no door, he noticed, and it longingly reminded him of Mina's Florist.

"This is my fiancé's Shop," he gave Kenshin a peering glance as they stepped inside; "we had it built when I asked her to marry me. Our apartment is actually on top. And she's probably on her way out right –"

"Inoichi!" A woman barged out from behind the counter of the store. She was exceptionally attractive, with brown eyes that looked auburn, and brown hair that was wrapped formally into a bun on her head with a red ribbon, strands framed both sides of her face, hanging over her ears from behind them. She was wearing a quarter-sleeved red dress with a yellow apron tied around her neck and waist.

And she also looked very unhappy, with her fist on her hips. "I made supper! And you left as if the Shinigami was on your heels! Is my cooking that bad?"

"No, no, no," Inoichi stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I love your cooking! And don't exaggerate, I just shunshined out. I was called to work for a moment." He gave her a kiss and her eyes roamed to the awkward looking Uzumaki that just stood there, who was finding the cloudy sky interesting.

"Who's your friend, Inoichi?" She pulled back and offered Kenshin a genuine smile. "He's awfully handsome." He was pretty sure she said that just to see the flat expression that Inoichi sent her.

Kenshin almost flushed at her bluntness, but simply smiled back and offered his hand. "Thank you, mam. Uzumaki Kenshin."

"Uzumaki huh? My name is Yamanaka Maria." She slipped her smaller hand into his and jerked him down to her height so suddenly that Kenshin gulped. "Are you the reason, Kenshin-kun, that my Inoichi is late for dinner?"

"Uhh . . . No?"

Inoichi slapped himself in the face.

"Boy, don't you lie to me!"

Kenshin almost closed his eyes at her fierce tone, her eyes unwavering. _Oh Kami, she looks too much like Kaa-san. _ Instead of Maria there in front of him, her looks changed: wild curly red hair, kind dark blue eyes, a gentle smile that held mischievous intentions. He used to make himself believe that her ghost would touch the left side of his face, like she would do when he was upset or crying. "I'm sorry," he finally whispered out, eyes roaming away from hers.

Maria unclenched the color of his grey shirt and gave him an unidentified look, her lips pinched tight as she studied him. Inoichi finally coughed in his hand, sending Kenshin a knowing sympathetic look as he grabbed his fiancé's forearm in a soothing grasp. "Honey, I'll be in for dinner very soon. I have something I need to show Kenshin-san first, okay?"

"You'll come straight home?"

"Yes."

"Well, alright." Maria placed a kiss on his cheek, giving Kenshin a kind smile and a wave. "Bye now, Kenshin-kun. Don't be a stranger, okay? You come by anytime."

"Thank you, Maria-san. I will." He brandished his hand in the air as a farewell gesture.

As she exited back inside the Flower Shop, Inoichi nodded his head toward the roof. "Follow me, Kenshin. I wanna show you something." As the Konoha Jounin jumped toward the roof of the apartment, Kenshin did as well, arms comfortably at his side. This had always been one thing Kenshin enjoyed doing anywhere. Roofs were Shinobi and Kunoichi restricted, meaning that they were the only ones granted to be on them. Civilians were never allowed, in fear of being hurt by a passing Ninja who wasn't paying attention, which was rare.

It was scarce that Ninja would ever feel important to people. They, like him, did missions, accomplished them with causalities, and came back with heavy weights on their shoulders – that was it, the end. And, humorously, out of all things, the roof tops made him feel significant.

Soon enough, Kenshin and Inoichi entered a perimeter of trees, which were damn nearly the size of buildings from back in Konoha. Unlike other Elemental countries, Kenshin had always heard rumors of Konoha's trees. They weren't called Village Hidden in the Leaves for no reason. Konohagakure no Sato, even Hi no Kuni, was bathed in rich, strong trees that dated back to the Warring States Period. It was truly astonishing.

"Inoichi-san! Where are we going?" Kenshin was almost growing worried. For all he knew, Konoha wanted no more Uzumaki survivors, and was sending Inoichi on a mission to take him in the middle of the forest for assassination. Though the sad part was, Kenshin couldn't stop him; he was still far too weak.

"You'll see," he called back. "We're almost there."

Using the last branch of a sturdy tree as a springing board, Kenshin did a frontwards flip before landing on his feet against the grass of the ground. He looked ahead of him, where the sun was setting gradually between the valley of two large hills, creating a vibrant red and orange hue in the sky. There was a river ahead of him, though there had been multiple ones running through Uzushio; this was the first one he'd seen in Konoha. He also noticed three posts in the clearing, but made no questioning comment about them – they were more than likely for training.

"This is it?" He frowned at the Yamanaka Clansman.

"No." Inoichi turned on his heel, head to the far left of the Training Ground they had ran upon. Kenshin's frown deepened when he saw where Inoichi was directing him to. The stone had been placed on red bricks, where it was surrounded by multiple flowers that people had left. The shape of the stone was strange, in the least. The base being large and the top being on the back of it, where it pointed traversal. "This, Kenshin, is the Memorial Stone."

"Memorial Stone?" Kenshin followed Inoichi's heels, eyes straying on the flowers and small tokens that were placed around it. "What is it?"

"It's a list of all Ninja that are KIA." Killed in Action.

Kenshin was now at the back, or rather front, of the Memorial Stone, gazing at the names that been marked down with a kunai or knife of some sorts. He looked at the Shodaime's, Senju Hashirama, and to the Second Hokage, the Nidaime, Senju Tobirama. "Wow, monumental, huh? I'm guessing it's been around since that Hokage Mountain of yours."

"I suppose. I couldn't really tell you." Inoichi jammed his hands back into his dark navy blue pockets and gave Kenshin an unfathomable expression. "There are some Shinobi or Kunoichi that come here during the time of day, standing here for hours staring at a name that they had lost in combat, or the previous war. You should know that Konoha Ninja are very loyal to their Village, to their comrades; we do not take forbearance from outsiders who could possibly be a threat to our village, to _my_ village."

A fog of killing intent draped over Kenshin, and he only blinked and looked into Yamanaka Inoichi's alert eyes. They held a deep warning over the safety of Konoha, of his family, his friends – Inoichi wouldn't hesitate to kill him if he was a risk to his home. "Well, I do not think you will haft to fret over that," Kenshin said lowly.

The fog lifted. "Good," was Inoichi's curt response. "I'm glad we cleared that. I have to depart from here. There will be another Council meeting tomorrow, they will more than likely want to hear you statement from your . . . hm, _predicament_."

"Wait!" Kenshin crossed his arms. "The Third Shinobi World War . . . who's involved?"

There was demur in Inoichi's eyes, as if he was battling internally the right and precise words he should choose to voice. "Iwagakure no Sato so far, though knowing the stubborn persona of the other Kages, there will be more participants in this war."

"That mission, that Sakumo-san was on, why was it so vital?"

"Tread close, Kenshin. Keep this information indoors, please." The blond-haired Jounin shifted lightly to each foot as he stared at the Memorial Stone. "Hatake Sakumo was assigned an S-Rank mission with renowned importance. This mission was to be accomplished, he knew that failure would be of no tolerance, and he also knew that failure would be starting a war with Iwa."

"What was the mission?"

"There was a Fort located off the border of Iwa and Kusa. Understand that we were already unbalancing the tip of the scale with Iwa, but Hokage-Sama did not want to start a war, a truce was to be declared. The Sandaime wanted to be sure that Ōnoki wasn't going to deceive, or hoax, the truce into manipulative material. And by Intel from Jiraiya-Sama's spy network, there was a file of plans in the base of the Fort at the border. Sakumo-san's team was to infiltrate quietly, no signs of them ever being there – but they were caught, simple as that. And Sakumo was in reach of the file, he knew that his comrades would die if he continued to grab them and jump out the nearest window. So he chose the life of his teammates over a war."

Kenshin's eyes were deplored. "Do you justify his actions, Inoichi-san?"

Inoichi looked down. "If I had been with Shikaku or Chōza, I would have downright denied the mission. The Intel of the mission was shaky at best, the toll results in ninja had been wrong, there had been more than counted – Sakumo's team had been unprepared. And now Sakumo will be slandered for doing what was right."

The Uzumaki smiled briefly. "Yes, the costs of noble priorities are at lost nowadays."

"Is that what you did, Kenshin-san? A noble priority?" There was no accusation in his voice, but Kenshin felt his shoulders tense at the words.

He laughed into the night air, watching as twilight dusted the air with purple. "More like narrow-minded claims. I am a selfish person, Inoichi." Kenshin was met with silence as the Jounin stared at him with contemplating eyes. He finally shrugged. "It doesn't matter. The deed is done. I suppose I will see you tomorrow, Inoichi-san. Farewell." He held up a hand as he turned away, walking toward the outline of the forest, where the foliage would shadow his form in darkness.

There was a spike of chakra and then nothing, Inoichi had shunshined away from the scene.

_"You do realize that once this is done, Uzushio will fall. By our hands." There were unshed tears in her blue eyes._

_ "It can be rebuilt," was his heavy response._

_ Kumiko casted her gaze downwards and laughed, though it was slightly coated with grief and bitterness. She carefully dropped her hand back to her side. "That it may, but never the same – _never_."_

_ "Perhaps. It isn't as if we are going to cover up its scars, Kumiko. We'll feel them, hide them away, but never forgotten." His words hardly made sense in his mind, but they seemed to brighten her aura just a little bit. _

_ "And I will follow you," Kumiko smiled grimly. "Uzukage-Sama," she added. _

_ Kenshin made a sound in his throat. "That, my lovely cousin, is considered treason by Shinobi's law."_

_ "Perhaps," she shrugged indifferently. "But either way, after all of this done and over with, we all know where the loyalty goes," her eyes met his, "to the leader who saved the Village. A hero. You, the Sandaime Uzukage."_

_ "A _hero_," Kenshin trailed off and continued roaming down the dark, cavern-like tunnels. "Ridiculous. Have you seen our home? Is that what a Hero does?"_

_ "No. But as you said, it will be rebuilt."_

_ I was wrong, Kumiko._


	4. The Favor For Relics

**A/N: For future reference, I apologize in advance. School has just started, and being involved in High School activities sometimes keeps you more than busy – sometimes more than you enjoy. Like today, I didn't even go to any of my classes – I was forced to stay in the gym and round up students of all grades for yearbook pictures. (****_It isn't fun_****) **

** I like to hope that my updates will be within a two weeks radius, but time can really only tell. I do not know when I'll be specifically busy, and I also work part time, so this isn't the best time for me this year. **

** Thank you**

** ~ Roxu**

* * *

**_The Testament of True Warriors –_**_ The Favor for Relics_

**_ Chigiri Sea – Twenty Clicks South of Benisu Island – 1330 Hours_**

_ANBU Captain Ryuu was infamous for his null and void record of unsuccessful missions. He was silent on missions, only occasionally murmuring out coded orders or commands to his team, Echo Platoon One. ANBU Captain Ryuu was also very, very annoyed with this particular assignment._

_ For starters, they were in the middle of the ocean._

_ The client, a wealthy politician from Kirigakure no Sato, was also very frightened of being ambushed and affronted with assault. The man had hired ANBU, to do complete this mission, and he really wished that Uzukage-Sama had selected a B-Rank team. Who thinks they were going to be attacked in the ocean? Pirates? _Dolphins_?_

_ Walking calmly beside the slow moving ship, Ryuu glared down at the scroll unraveled in his gloved hands._

_**We have come to the judgment that Uzumaki Kenshin is incompatible for the rank of Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai. We also find that the rank of Jounin would be more suitable for his caliber. Not for in strengths of power, but as a head figure for Uzushiogakure no Sato.**_

**_ This letter is a notice of relinquishing. After following procedure of ensuing mission, we expect Uzumaki Kenshin to cede his mask as Ryuu and the Prohibiting to be bestowed upon the bottom of the tongue for secrecy purposes only._**

**_ We thank you for your duration, Uzumaki Kenshin._**

**_ The Foundation Assembly_**

****_Ryuu allowed the scroll to burn away with a high pulse of his potent flare of white chakra, watching impassively as it crumbled into ashes, dissolving in the deep blue of the sea as it touched the surface of the water. He was angry, despite attempting to be calm about the situation, that they were saying he was only compatible as a Jounin for the sake of impressions. And what frustrated Ryuu more about the situation was that he knew politics enough to know that all of this was to detect Uzushio a powerful threat. What was the Foundation thinking?_

_ "Umi to Ryuu, location is secure. Regroup?"_

_ Ryuu loosened his shoulders before gazing out at the silent, steady ocean that stretched hundreds of miles. "Affirmative."_

* * *

**Hi no Kuni – Konohagakure no Sato – Third Training Ground – 0540 Hours**

After Yamanaka Inoichi had departed the previous night, Kenshin had realized his situation quickly. He had nowhere to sleep. No food. No shelter. So he had resorted to finding a nice view of the moon above his prone form, with his head propped up lazily against a stout tree. His sleep had been restless, invaded with nightmares and bloody faces he dearly wanted to see again, though as they looked then in his mind, wished they would just disappear from his memory.

So at three in the morning, Kenshin finally abandoned the idea of resting. He finally resolved to exploiting exercises. Push-ups, pull-ups, running laps, chakra control training, and meditating. After a full two hours of nonstop exertion, Kenshin felt immensely better in strength and felt fresh and anew.

"Fifty-nine, sixty, sixty-one." Kenshin counted the number of pull-ups he performed on the thick tree branch, torso and back glistening with sticky sweat as he had long but gotten rid of the long-sleeved grey shirt. He tried to think of the muscles contracting and tightening around his biceps as he pulled himself up, but his thoughts were rapidly shifting into what would turn into the Third Shinobi World War.

War's, as he came to know, were prolonged and hematic. This meant that they could be extended by years and years, maybe even a decade, and there would always be bloodshed – as a Ninja, there was always blood. Iwagakure no Sato were known for their rock-like personalities – headstrong and stubborn, a common trait that was almost related to the Uzumakis' – and to do as ordered from their Tsuchikage without a single hesitant thought. That is problematic when dealing with a war, especially considering when the Tsuchikage would probably be howling for bloodshed when he figures out what Konoha had attempted to infiltrate his base camp along the borders of Iwa and Kusa.

For the Leaf Village, that meant that they would be fighting a huge war in the middle of a very small country of Kusagakure no Sato. Kenshin felt sorry for the civilians residing there, perhaps the Sandaime will be charitable enough to offer _expatriate status_ in Konoha until their home is a safe zone, destroyed or not. But then again, that was a huge security risk on the village; he doubted Konoha's council would approve of the idea of rebel Kusa villagers attempting to kill Konoha inhabitants with butcher knives and makeshift weapons.

That was one of the most profitable aspects about Uzu no Kuni. As a remote island, putting an _expatriate status_ would be useless, sense they had been secluded and in the middle of the ocean it was dependent as someone claiming to house refuges – so Uzushio never had that issue at hand. They would offer Shinobi and Kunoichi services, food or supplies, and housing around the island only if communion had been made outside of war. A cautionary of safety.

" . . . But Minato-Senseeeeeiiii, I already know the Tree Climbing Exercise, why are you making me do this? I'm a Chunin!"

"I know that, Obito. You've been Chunin for a year now. But your chakra control is still sloppy, coiled enough for jutsus, but you need more control for the more advanced regime that I have in store for you."

"Yeah, Obito. Listen to Minato-Sensei, he's a Jounin."

"I don't care if he's freaking ANBU, Rin! My chakra control is _fine_!" Shuffling. "What? You got something to say, teme!?"

"Oh shush, Obito. He didn't even look at you, sheesh." Minato's voice was coming from the foliage of the trees to Kenshin's far left. Just as they stepped through the outline of the forest, Kenshin let go of his grip on the branch and dropped to the ground, swiping a sweaty lock of red hair from his face. He noticed he needed to shave, and he also smelled, but simply grinned at the Leaf Ninja. Minato didn't look surprised to see him; neither did the gray-haired kid. "Oh, Kenshin-san," the blond Shinobi smiled grimly. "You look busy."

"Eh, you could say that." Kenshin looked at Rin with a raised eyebrow as she blushed a bright blood red and hid behind Kakashi's shoulder, who looked irritated. "You also look busy. Your Genin team?"

"Yes. Introduce yourselves, Team Seven."

"Nohara Rin, Chunin of Konoha, registration 010885."

"Hatake Kakashi, Chunin of Konoha, registration 009720."

"The name's Uchiha Obito, old man, and dontcha forget it!" The goggle-wearing brat stuck out a thumb as he grinned cheerily, taking a completely open stance without a care in the world.

"Obito-kun! Chunin are supposed to say their ninja registration!" Rin, brown eyes wide and horrified at his lack of morality, smacked him in the back of his head. "You must be more respectful! Kenshin-san is obviously out superior."

"Heh, he's not my superior unless he's a Shinobi of Konoha!"

Kakashi finally voiced his agreement, surprising Kenshin who hadn't even heard the voice speak at all since meeting him the prior day – well if you call getting kidnapped and interrogated a 'meeting'. "For once, I agree with the dobe."

Kenshin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as Minato sent his students stern, calculated looks. "Ehh, I can honor that type of judgment, Obito, Kakashi." They blinked in unison at his words, having not percepted him to full-heartedly agree with their ignorant decision. "Anyways!" Kenshin clasped his hands behind his head. "I heard, Obito, that you are having trouble with your chakra control . . . why is that?"

The Uchiha grew an uncharacteristically serious, guarded expression and traded looks and eye contact with his sensei. When Minato gave a curt, indication with his head, Obito was all boastful grins and obnoxiousness once more. "Yeah! I've been working on it for _ages_!"

Rin rolled her eyes. "Only three years."

"That's a long time, Rin-Chan!"

"At times, it could take a Shinobi or Kunoichi years and years to perfect the control of the capacity of chakra."

"Thanks, Minato-Sensei! That helped me a lot," Obito pouted and crossed his arms grumpily across his chest. "Besides, my chakra control is good _enough_. You've never worried about it before, why are you concerned now?"

Kenshin observed as Minato's expression grew impassive, and his eyes met the Uzumaki's dark blue and a silent message was passed: War is on the horizon. "As a Shinobi," the redhead crouched and held out his hand, "if you cannot control your chakra, then you do not know yourself. Your reserves are a spiritual and physical source, _your_ spiritual and physical source; you must know that connection to be a ninja." He curled his fingers as a motion of 'come here'. "Give me your hand."

Obito hesitated before he placed his blue fingerless gloved hand inside of Kenshin's scratched and calloused palm. Kenshin was no sensor, far from it, but he could easily feel the Uchiha's large reserves. The magnitude of blue energy hit him with full force and the Uzumaki snapped open his eyes and stared at the boy in slight awe. "Interesting. Say, Obito, are you familiar with Fūinjutsu?"

The goggle-wearing boy widened his onyx-colored eyes before shifting his gaze to Minato. "Sensei's uses that stuff all the time, right?"

"I do," the Jounin replied.

"Well, if I was you, I'd find out your Elemental affinity. Knowing you as an Uchiha, you will probably have Katon." Kenshin noted the way Obito produced an annoyed grimace at the mention of 'Uchiha'. "Although basic chakra control has to reach so far to start the fundamental elemental training, if you begin now, it will work five times faster than climbing trees or water walking."

"That's correct," Minato agreed. "But I was going for a 'slow progressing' rate process; I don't want Obito rushing in too fast."

"I'm not!" Obito argued defensively, lips twisting into a childish pout.

Kenshin felt a grin tug at his mouth, realization setting in as he remembered that Uzushio and Konoha were two different places, the altering morals and traditions of things. "My home is far different from yours," Kenshin smiled as he bent forward to grab the dirty grey shirt to wrench back on. "We graduated from our school at ten, and would already be well-educated into fundamental elemental lessons."

Rin's face grew into one of questioning awe. The ex-Jounin, or metaphorically retired Shinobi, could instantly see the potential in this young Kunoichi. Rin was young like her peers, with an average height for a girl that dwarfed her to his size. She had bistre brown hair, which was cut chin-length and eyes the same shade of her short locks. The most distinct feature was the rectangular, purple markings on each side of her cheeks. Her attire consisted of a long-sleeved black shirt, loose yet fitting, and a light purple apron-skirt, under which were black shorts. He admitted, the red stockings and sandals were odd with her other coloring of clothing, but Kenshin would never voice his opinion. Rin looked curiously up at him, feminine brown eyes glittering with interest. "I heard that Uzushio was known for their Fūinjutsu, like Kushina-san, are you a master?"

Kenshin chose not to feel uncomfortable as the Hatake kid scrutinized the black sealing marks along his torso and arms. "What do you think, Rin-san?"

"Uzumaki Kenshin is in a side-column in our history book back in the Academy, when we were studying the history of Uzushiogakure no Sato, you were mentioned. _The Six Seal of Uzushio_, you were called." Rin's eyes told him she respected his amount of power.

"There were six of you, and the largest number was the strongest. The Six Seals from Uzushio were almost as famous as the tailed-beasts Jinchuriki." As Kakashi stated that fact, Kenshin saw a slight tense shift in Minato's shoulders. _Oh yes, Kushina's the Kyuubi Jinchuriki now, isn't she? _ Caught up in so much turmoil over recent events, he's almost forgotten the status of his niece.

"Well, even I'm not one for modesty, and I'd say that _that_ is way over exaggerated. Very few people could possibly measure to a Jinchuriki." Kenshin stuffed his hands inside his pockets and yawned. "I think I'll let your team go ahead and start their training."

As he began to stroll to the right, Minato spoke: "Thirty minutes from now, a Council meeting is taking place. Here, I'll have Kaka-Chan to lead you there."

Kakashi had an expression as if he wanted to do anything but said order, but he nodded his head in compliance anyway. Judging by the appearance of the Hatake child, Kakashi must've been Sakumo's boy. He even had the lazy, yet stern expression plastered permanently on his face, which was an unfortunate deplorable genetic trait.

As they ventured back inside the main part of the Village, Kenshin came to know that the War Council Meeting was deep inside the right wing of the Hokage Tower. It was actually the administrative part of the Academy, as well as the civilian sanction that was mainly used for civilians to report complaints or use for business meetings or arrange financing funds and charity events.

He was surprised, really, that Konoha hosted a war meeting so originally in place. The Foundation had always changed locations of their assemblies, only allowing a tiny slip of information to let the delegate members meet in foreclosed secret. Konoha must have such confidence in their abilities to allow an audience so liable. Kakashi immediately halted when they reached the corridor to the third floor, frozen and alert just like any battle-worn Shinobi that the eleven year-old shouldn't have been. "I am not authorized further entrance; you should enter two doors down to you left."

Kenshin mustered up a smile and felt his grin spread further as Kakashi scowled when he patted the top of his dark silver-colored hair. "Thanks, Kakashi-Kun." As he turned on his heel to follow the instructions of the meetings, he winked at the Hatake Chunin. "Eat your vegetables, kid – _or_, uh, isn't that what adults say to children?"

Kakashi's scowl only deepened until his eyes were narrowed into a daggered glare. "I'm not a child," he huffed silently. "And as a Shinobi, I already know to maintain a high amount of protein and carbs. We burn it off faster and at a higher rate than civilians."

"Right," the Uzumaki agreed with a nod of his head. "Anyways, I might see you later, Kakashi. Tell your ole'man that I think I owe him a drink after he restrained Kushina from lacerating me yesterday." Kenshin almost grimaced when he saw the way Kakashi's black eyes darkened further with resentment. So his father was already on the receiving end of criticism and appraisal after his performance on the S-Rank mission. As sad as it was, it was not uncommon. Kenshin just foresaw that the villagers or even leaf Ninja would realize that they weren't all perfect; missions were predicted to be a sixty-eight percent success rate, the majority of that being secret agents, ANBU, or another Village's top Ninja organization. That leaves a forty-two percent fail rate, which was low in standards considering the speculative S-Rank missions.

Kenshin blinked when Kakashi shunshined away with a smudged blur, leaving the reluctant redhead to 'look' forward to walking in on the War Council Meeting.

And that he did, humiliatingly so.

Kenshin was pretty positive that spittle flecked on his cheek from someone leaning across the table nearest of him, who was yelling absurdities toward a rather composed Clan Head who looked exactly like one of their famed Hyuuga. There were other shouts of denials, but most of them were shaking their heads in disapproval.

The twenty-five year-old raised his eyebrows when the commotion suddenly went silent, and everyone's attention was pirouetted to his presence. The stares and silence was unwelcoming and almost deafening. "Um," Kenshin twisted his nose with discomfort and hastily crossed his arms. "I'm not late, right?" He was quickly discovering the seriousness of the dilemma set forth. Lines were gradually forming around his mouth as he arranged his lips into a thin, rigid line.

"No, no, Kenshin-Kun." The Sandaime Hokage was situated at the head of the long rectangular table, robes untouched and unwrinkled, hands folded in his lap. Despite the previous verbal match, he seemed unfazed and serene, almost peaceful. "In fact, I can finally now initiate this War Council Meeting." Sarutobi motioned toward him, curling his hand in an indication that he wanted Kenshin to come stand beside his chain. "Come, come, Kenshin. We must discuss."

"Hiruzen," a woman with her hair placed in a bun, a Senbon lodged to hold them in placed, stated sullenly. "Not trying to sound rude, but this is an exclusive meeting."

"That's Hokage-Sama to you, you old hag," a woman toward the end of the table snarled out, her grin feral when the elder scoffed with indignation. "But I am curious as well, Hokage-Sama." The woman didn't try to conceal the way her eyes roamed up and down his well-built frame. Her grin stretched. "_Very_ curious."

"Koharu, you may address me as Sandaime or Hokage only. Tsume, please, refrain yourself from casting out name-calling, this isn't the Academy." Sarutobi smiled genuinely at Kenshin when he finally took in step beside his chair. The redhead wondered how a leader, fixing to throw themselves headlong into a Shinobi World War, could even formulate expressive friendliness. "Now, I would like the council to present themselves in an orderly fashion, please."

A man, thin black glasses shadowing his eyes, didn't even raise a hand. His voice was nearly emotionless, but there was a small movement of his eyebrow. "Aburame Shibi, Head of the Aburame Clan."

"Akimichi Chōza, Head of the Akimichi Clan." A man, physically his age, smiled briefly in his direction. His hair was spiky and red, slithering purple marks tattooed against his cheeks, curling directly underneath his seemingly closed eyes.

"Hyuuga Hiroshi, Head of the Hyuuga Clan."

The feral woman from before grinned and winked in his direction. "Inuzuka Tsume, Head of the Inuzuka Clan." Kenshin mildly noted her longer canine teeth and slitted-like eyes. She certainly _looked_ dangerous.

"Kohaku Fumiko, Head of the Kohaku Clan," the woman looked rather upset, arms crossed over her ample chest and olive-colored eyes adverted to the lines of the wooden table.

"Kurama Murakumo, Head of the Kurama Clan."

Kenshin eyed the man with a profound curiosity. He had heard of the Kurama Clan, known for their enormous gifted Genjutsu users. The man didn't seem distressed about the meeting, his shoulders relaxed and eyes half closed.

"Nara Shikaku, Head of the Nara Clan." Shikaku lazily raised a hand before allowing it to fall limp against his lap. "_Troublesome_," he added glumly.

"Sarutobi Ichiro, Head of the Sarutobi Clan."

"Senju Kujiama, Head of the Senju Clan."

"Shimura Danzo, Elder Adviser of the Council and Head of the Shimura Clan." More than a few people rolled their eyes impatiently at the long, nearly self-proclaimed title.

"Uchiha Fugaku, Head of the Uchiha Clan." Sharingan red eyes flashed like a light blinking into a pitch black forest, almost startling Kenshin as he gazed into the crimson eyes, three tomoe marks spinning as they studied him with intimidation.

Kenshin almost felt like laughing. _Almost_.

"Yamanaka Inoichi, Head of the Yamanaka Clan." The blond-haired man nodded in respect to the redhead, pupiless blue eyes scanning the room.

And that's also when he finally noticed the lone figure that had been inclined up against the wall, rather stiffly, in a white cloak and blank, faceless mask. "ANBU Commander." Kenshin even wondered if it was male or female speaking, having found the tone so neutral that it was impossible to discover.

"Gukuro Daichi, Civilian Representative."

"Yakushi Nono, Head Medic of the Hospital's Medic Corps."

When they finally ended with introductions, Kenshin implanted their identity and names for future purposes. He stood at attention as he was scrutinized by the three Elders that looked at him with neither welcoming stares nor glares of disapproval. It was a moment in time where he realized his true S-Rank power; his chakra must feel potent in the room with the other highly capable ninja.

"Now, Hokage-Sama," Koharu almost scowled, "who is this man you have in our presence? He is obviously a Shinobi, but I do not recognize him of our own."

"Oh, come now, Utatane-san," Shikaku tsked at the older woman as he slouched down in his seat, "do you not recognize the red hair at all?"

Awareness hit Tsume before Koharu. "Yeah, wasn't you alive when they were made a clan, you old bitch?" Everyone in the room was unfazed by that insult, either rolling their eyes or a smirk twitching at the sides of their mouths.

"This, my dear council," Hiruzen quickly informed them to halt furthering bickering, "is Uzumaki Kenshin, otherwise once known as the Sixth Seal of Uzushiogakure no Sato."

" . . . Another Uzumaki? That's impossible," Nono, a woman with long brown hair and dark colored eyes, visibly frowned. "The Uzumaki Clan was killed off almost a decade ago. Kushina-san is the only known subsisting blood."

Kenshin felt his frown, which had been permanent since he had entered the room; deepen into a sullen grimace that revealed the sadness of his fallen home. But now, a new emotion was discovered: bewilderment. "_'Known'_ Uzumaki? Does that mean –"

"There is to believe that some Uzumaki civilians had escaped before Iwa had fully infiltrated Uzushio." At seeing his hopeful expression, Hiruzen winced and said, "Their whereabouts are currently unknown."

Kenshin felt that tiny piece of hope that had been residing in his mind deflate like a busted balloon. His dark blue eyes dimmed and his shoulder slacked forward with heavy weight. Suddenly finding the meeting meaningless, hands were shoved into pockets, eyes adverted, and a scowl was set firmly in place. "Why am I here, _then_?" His voice was bitter, angry, and he couldn't help but wonder is this how Kushina felt for eleven years straight? "If this is about the Third Shinobi World War, I want know place in it. That has nothing to do with me."

"We just want to know what your intentions are, Kenshin-kun." Inoichi smiled briefly, though it was fleeting and held a variety of mixed emotions that the redhead couldn't place.

"I told you . . ."

"Yes, and you did not lie – but you didn't further in explaining."

"Ninja don't encourage peripheral information, Inoichi-san."

"But they also aren't granted excluding any necessary details from the indemnity of the village."

Kenshin blanched for a moment before squinting his eyes into a narrow and crossing his arms tighter. "Indemnity? You mean _security_?"

Shikaku then decided to voice his input, having not even shifted his relaxed stance besides closing his eyes. "You have a very high price on your head, Uzumaki Kenshin – or do you not remember the Second Shinobi World War?" There was an undertone of hidden meaning there.

Kenshin tensed and felt cynicism fill him to the core. That was classified information. During the Second Shinobi World War, having started when he was twenty-one had been a conflict of deception and anonymousness. Uzushiogakure no Sato had played a hidden portion of the war – absorbed into the shadows of blood and fallen bodies as they represented the job of hired assassins without the pay of money. Kenshin had been one of them, sworn to secrecy and shoved into mayhem by the treaty that Uzushio held with Konoha. Basically, Uzushio was pushed into war because Konoha needed their assistance. Uzu no Kuni was a peaceful nation, war was unheard of, and since keeping to their selves in their own political affairs, wars were never formed.

Kenshin came to the only thought that his befuddled mind could process in complete thought: "That was a very long time ago." _A long time of cries, blood, wounds, and scars that never would heal. _"A very long time ago."

"So tell me, since that was such a long time ago, do you hold any grudge or harm toward the village and its residents?" The Third Hokage questioned seriously.

"I will explain this only once, Hokage or not," Kenshin disregarded the narrow of eyes from the Elders. "The Second Shinobi World was ruined my life." A pregnant pause, decision clouded with uncertainty. "My relationship was ruined with my brother; he was a tool to subjection for the Foundation Assembly. I assassinated children, I was ordered to assassinate infants by _this_ nation." Blue eyes fluttered close and a flitter of a smile flashed across his face. "But it was also my salvation. It proved to me that the innocent is guilty, and the guilty may be innocent – it taught me not to trust just anybody. I met my love a year during the war, I lost my siblings, but I gained insight. So no, I do not hold it against this village, because I know they suffered the same, more badly than others."

The War Council Meeting was casted into a dreary silence at the Uzumaki's bold, colorless, yet expressive speech. Sarutobi Hiruzen unclasped his hands in his lap, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Thank you for that inspirational dialect, Kenshin-kun. I have every vibe in me saying that you are being honest as any Shinobi would be in those words." _That's not a lot of honesty. _"But I have something to request of you."

"Oh?" Kenshin raised an eyebrow, seemingly half-bored by the statement. "And what is that?"

"I need your service, Uzumaki Kenshin."

" . . . You need my service . . ." It wasn't spoken in a confused question, but more of a flat deadpan voice.

"I realize that Uzushio and Konoha have had its past differences. But that is what it is, the past. The past, _prior_, and I am willing to allow bygones to be bygones. Truth be told, I have nothing here to give you for your assistance – but I have disclosed knowledge to something you might need." Kenshin noticed the way the Council now stared at their Sandaime Hokage with worry and perplexity, it was obvious they did not know what he was going to mention. "I know where the Artifacts of Uzushiogakure no Sato is."

Kenshin was dumbfounded for a split second, not understanding his words until his eyes widened with realization. _The Testament of True Warriors, the Shrine of Lost Scrolls, the Directory of Uzushio,_ _the Summoning_ _Scroll_. Kenshin, his insides previously numb, felt a heat ignite underneath his skin. "They're here –?"Unwantedly, his voice cracked with what he was frightened of: sadness, anguish, a sorrow that he had hid desperately up until he heard those words.

"No." Hiruzen's eyes softened. "They are within Iwa's borders. But I know of the location."

"Hiru – Hokage-Sama!" A man that was around Koharu's age had wide eyes behind his green-framed glasses. "Are you positive of this? This, um," he flicked his gaze to Kenshin, "these relics are Konoha's possessions'. Uzushio lost their rights when – when –"

"When the Clan was eliminated?" Kenshin felt his face twist in fury at the thought. "How could you state such claims when the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune resides in your village? Sacrificing herself for Uzushio and Konoha, both. She is the last Uzumaki; those are _hers_, not _Konoha's_."

Sarutobi Ichiro raised an interested eyebrow. "You deny allegation for the Uzumaki Clan?"

"Of course not," Kenshin scoffed sharply. "I've been presumed _dead_ for eleven years. Kushina has full claims to our Clan, our money, and our ruins."

"Very noble of you," Chōza nodded.

"It has nothing to do with that," he growled. His eyes shifted to the Hokage's. "So if I offer my aid during the war, you offer me information on my family's heirlooms."

"Not _all_ of them. I will give you the location on them the passing of every month you benefit my village."

Kenshin couldn't help but unleash an indignant sneer. No matter how far you travel, it seemed like everything came with a heavy price of payment. He thought maybe this place wasn't comparable to the Foundation Assembly, but he'd been wrong. Ransom and bribery were far beyond becoming dastardly in the eyes of leaders. "I understand your meaning in doing that," he said slowly. "No matter of the pusillanimity you prove to me."

Gukuro Daichi, the Civilian Representative, stood up with a scrape of his wooden chair, palms slamming flat against the table as he glared harshly at the Uzumaki. "You dare speak like that to Hokage-Sama! We should have you executed –"

"Under whose jurisdiction? The Communion Treaty – an alliance signed _during _the Warring States Period. If it wasn't for Uzumaki, for Mito-Sama sealing away the Kyuubi into herself to begin with, your village would be crushed to the ground by a single tail." Kenshin breathed heavily through his nose in a sigh, unloosening his arms from his chest and dropping him at his sides. "I am stating that I will aid you, even if I disagree with your terms of agreement. But a month from now, I expect a location."

Sarutobi Hiruzen was smiling, a pleased glint in his eyes. "I will send a contact for you. Now, Kenshin, if you would go to me secretary outside the door, where she should be waiting, I think you would find something worth looking into." Kenshin couldn't help but falter slightly at the smile the older man sent him, something akin to a father telling you to go look outside for a huge surprise, which usually ended up being a house puppy for you to raise. It reminded him of Tousen, even if his elder brother had been much younger than Hiruzen.

"Thank you," he muttered, making a sweeping gaze over the council, before closing the distance from himself to the door.

Just like the Hokage had said, a receptionist awaited his arrival. She was a middle-aged woman, perhaps five years his senior in physical appearance (the whole age with reality and physically was becoming very annoying). She wore a styled kimono that went just above her knees, the colors of dark green and beige. There were black tights underneath, trailing down to her ankles where she wore sandaled high-heels. She was obvious a Kunoichi, with her dark blond hair tied back into a pony tail at the nape of her neck, and faded blue eyes staring at him with modest curiosity.

"Hello, miss . . . ."

"You may address me as Tatsuya, Uzumaki-san." Tatsuya held out a sealed envelope with a red Konoha emblem waxed on the white paper. "This should cover payment the necessities of food, bathroom products, and basic furnishing requirements – as well as clothing. Since, you are standing here; I suppose that you have accepted Hokage-Sama's proposal. You do not haft to wear the standard Jounin vest, and we already know you will refuse to wear a Konoha Hitai-tae." The envelope was pressed into his hand as she then produced two twin keys. "There is an extra apartment loft at the Shinobi Quarters in Sector D. This is only a momentary arrangement. Sandaime-Sama cannot risk affording more things than weaponry and rations that his soldiers will need in war, understand?" She had a cold glint in her eye, as if she did not approve of giving him these awards for his service. He knew Tatsuya would change her mind if she would concentrate on taking a whiff out of him. He could only imagine how he smelled.

"I understand," Kenshin allowed the keys to drop into his left palm, a clink of metal echoing in his ears. "So the Hokage knew that I would accept his offer?"

Tatsuya peered at him before blinking her near-grey eyes. "As I have seen of Uzumaki Kushina, family must mean a great deal to the Uzumaki Clan. He knew, as a past acquaintance, that as coming from their bloodline, you would want to restore the Clan to its prior grandeur."

"Grandeur?" Kenshin felt his hand clench around the keys and envelope. His expression darkened. "No. There was never grandeur."

* * *

** Hi no Kuni – Konohagakure no Sato – Shinobi Quarters – Sector D – 0730 Hours**

The Shinobi Quarters were sanitary enough. Kenshin never thought himself to be extremely cleanly, but he liked things straightened up to an extent. The Loft was perhaps the size of a master size bedroom, small in some eyes, but more than enough in his. Perhaps the reason it was so small, was because his bedroom was connected to a small stairway that was only wide enough for one person.

All in all, it was a modest, yet gratifying set.

The first thing Kenshin had done when receiving the money, was to get supplies. He purchased the cheapest bathroom brand possible, he didn't really care how it was scented, just something to clean himself with. He also bought appropriate Shinobi attire that fit his satisfactory:

Black Shinobi pants, metal steel-toed boots, a new hip pouch and medic kit (which involved tools and therapeutic stocks), and a long-sleeved dark blue shirt. He knew it would draw attention to even wear a tee-shirt; the seals along his forearms would draw far too much attention he was willing to give. Even if it was summer, a long-sleeve would have to do, for now.

So as Uzumaki Kenshin basked in the hot water that pressed against his dirty scalp, he couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. How was it, which what felt like two days ago, that he had been in the Second Shinobi World War, and when he gets casted under the seal, and eleven years later, he's suddenly in the Third? Maybe Tousen wasn't as mad as people had made him to be. After Kushina's mother, Amaya, had passed away as KIA, Tousen had engrossed himself in seals. A specific jutsu. The seal that had been placed on him, the Confinement Seal. To put it exactly, Tousen was made to believe that he could transfer himself to the past, and prevent Amaya's death.

Perhaps he could have.

Turning the left knob counterclockwise, the water was shut off and Kenshin grappled with the towel he had slung over the shower curtain rod. Throwing on the casual wear he had bought, consisting of black slacks and the white tee-shirt he didn't feel like slipping on, he strolled out while rubbing the towel through disheveled crimson hair, steam rolling out of the meager lavatory in his wake.

Imagine his surprise when he saw a male leaning against his kitchen counter, arms crossed and expression troubled. It was that Namikaze. Kenshin finally took his time scrutinizing the man's looks and posture. Namikaze Minato was a couple of inches below his height, perhaps a solid six feet, with spiky bright blond hair that held jaw-length bangs framing his face. His eyes mirrored close to the ocean around Uzushio, and Kenshin briefly wondered if that caused Kushina to be more attracted to him for that very reason. His apparel was a standard Konoha Jounin uniform with two bands on each of his sleeves, a leaf-green flak jacket, blue forehead protector, and blue ninja sandals.

"Kushina won't even look at me," Minato explained wearily as his eyes gazed at the Uzumaki, who allowed the towel to drape over his right shoulder. "What is your relationship with my fiancé?"

Kenshin's eyes expanded. "Fiancé?" The word held such a deeper and painful meaning that his mouth almost hanged open in a shocked, perplexing surprise. "What?" It wasn't as if he hadn't come to terms that Kushina was now a grown woman, not a scrawny little teenager, but _married_? What. The. _Fuck_.

Realizing his brief, oversight in his choice of words, Minato grimaced visibly. "Eh, yeah. And I'm not about to apologies," azure blue clashed with Persian blue. "I mean no disrespect towards you or your family, but I do not withdraw my words from that one year, three months, and four days ago."

Kenshin felt himself smiling tightly as Minato said those words, a harrowing, uncomfortable awareness lingering in his chest. "No, no, I understand. In fact, when I got married, I did not even grant invitations to my clansmen."

"You were married?"

"I was. For almost three years. She was a civilian, and like all Ninja clans, civilians were not favored. So I married privately, moved out of the compound, and started my own life – end of the story." Kenshin threw the towel in the laundry room floor that was hooked onto a side door in the kitchen, shrugging his shoulders as Minato gained a distressed expression. "To answer your question, I kind of helped raise Kushina. She's my niece."

Minato sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's very upset right now. Kushina's loud, brash, and eats ramen every chance she can get – now she won't even look at me, won't even look at me, and won't touch any form of food."

"And what, you dare say, has to do with me?"

The Namikaze's head snapped up. "What?"

Kenshin walked past Minato and rummaged through the paper brown bags that stored certain foods he had bought from the nearest local store. He tore open a box of nutrition bars and began unwrapping two coconut-flavored ones. "To put it simply, I don't care." It sounded harsher than he actually meant it.

"You just said she's your _niece_."

"She's also an Uzumaki," he bit into the granola bar, "she can take care of herself. If she eventually grows a problem with my appearance, she will come affront me about it. But you do not need to worry about her well-being because –"

"- she's an Uzumaki," Minato rolled his eyes. "How can I forget?"

Kenshin winked, "You're finally getting the gist of things." He promptly wolfed down the other nourishment bar and stuffed the vacant plastic wrappers into the waste bin that he had yet to put a trash bag inside, that didn't really matter at the moment, though. "Kushina's strong, has always been, let her be the woman she is."

"That reminds me," Minato pushed off from where he was leaning and sent Kenshin an excited, slightly anxious smirk. "Hokage-Sama has informed me that there will be an evaluation of your skills next week."

He raised an eyebrow, "there is?"

"Yes. And guess who is evaluating you?"

"Ah . . . who?"

Minato's smirk widened into an uncharacteristically devious grin, "Me."


End file.
